Origins and evolution
The official act of birth of the Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna dates back to 14 July 1837, the day on which the then Cardinal Legate authorised one hundred private Bolognese citizens to found a credit society whose activities would be directed towards supporting initiatives of general interest to the Bolognese community.
It was at the beginning of the 1990s that, in compliance with the Amato-Ciampi reform for the privatisation of public banks, the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna made its debut as an autonomous legal entity, with the aim of promoting the social, cultural and economic development of the community and the Bolognese territory. At the time of the reform, lending activities remained the prerogative of Carisbo, a new joint-stock company, while philanthropic and social activities remained the responsibility of Fondazione Carisbo, the historical continuation of the organisation founded in 1837.
In the autumn of 2000, following the Treasury Ministry’s approval of the new Articles of Association, the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna became a private legal entity with a membership base and full statutory and management autonomy. The new statute emphasises the historical continuity of the intentions and final objectives that had given rise to the Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 163 years earlier.
In 2002 the merger by incorporation of Cardine SpA (into which Carisbo had already merged) into Sanpaolo IMI SpA was completed. In 2006, the Sanpaolo IMI group was further strengthened through the merger with Banca Intesa, an operation that gave rise to Intesa Sanpaolo, a leading banking group in Italy and one of the main ones in Europe in terms of size and solidity.
With the signing, in April 2015, of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Association of Foundations and Savings Banks (Acri), the Foundation adhered to a fundamental step in a process of “self-reform”. The document committed the adhering Foundations to amend their statutes according to the contents of the Protocol itself, aimed at regulating the management of assets also through the diversification of investments, enhancing the transparency of disbursements and regulating the governance structure.
What are Foundations of Banking Origin?
Casa Saraceni, our headquarters
A jewel of the Bolognese Renaissance, the 15th-century Casa Saraceni has been the headquarters of the Foundation since 1991. The building takes its name from the noble family whose historic residence it was, esteemed as one of the most prestigious buildings in the city at the time. The architectural layout is modulated according to a rigorous rhythmic order, the style is a meeting of the ornamental language of Emilia, which stands out in the terracotta decorations on the façade, and the Florentine Renaissance tradition, due to the reference to Filippo Brunelleschi’s Ospedale degli Innocenti evident in the arches. Still recognisable is the tower that has been cut off and incorporated into the structure, which belonged to the former residence of the Clarissimi family on whose foundations Casa Saraceni was built.
The story of Casa Saraceni, located at a crossroads of places and buildings of great cultural significance in the heart of Bologna, is intertwined with that of the most influential families and institutions in the city’s history. Construction of the palazzo was undertaken in the early 16th century, probably by Antonio Saraceni, a Bolognese nobleman and occasional member of the city Senate from 1468 to 1502, on the foundations of a pre-existing house that had belonged to the Clarissimi family since the 13th century.
The elegance and beauty of the residence meant that it was chosen over time as the most appropriate venue for hosting political authorities during their stays in the city. The building’s history is marked by several changes of ownership between noble families such as the Cospi in 1575 and the Garzoni in 1631, and by changes in its use, such as when it passed to the Opera Pia dei Poveri Vergognosi in 1735. In 1925, the palazzo became the property of the Società Anonima Magazzini Centrali Italiani and finally, in 1930, of the Credito Fondiario della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna.
The rooms on the ground floor, now used as exhibition spaces, are enriched by splendid wooden coffered ceilings, while the marble staircase features “Raphaelesque” vaults created by Roberto Franzoni, a leading exponent of Bolognese Art Nouveau. The rooms on the upper floors, obtained from the renovation works, are furnished with light-coloured stuccoes and eighteenth-century-inspired decorations and house a rich gallery of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Bolognese paintings from the Foundation’s Art and History Collections.
After restoration entrusted to Baulina Paleotti, Casa Saraceni officially became the headquarters of the Credito Fondiario of the Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna in 1934. The building retained this function until 1991, the year in which Credito Fondiario left Casa Saraceni and the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, following the reform sanctioned by the Amato Law, took over the building, purchasing it and promoting a series of important renovation, restoration and enhancement works. In the period between 1995 and 2001, further conservative restoration work was carried out and, in more recent years, a series of energy efficiency and indoor comfort improvements.