The two cloisters belonged to the Benedictine monks who officiated in the adjoining Church of San Pietro. The construction of the convent began at the beginning of the sixteenth century, having to transfer to the city a previous cenobium located outside the walls. The monastic complex, including courtyards and gardens, occupied a large area from the Via Emilia to the walls. In this context, the construction of the small cloister, built in 1524 by Bartolomeo Spani and Leonardo Pacchioni, should be placed.The Great Cloister was built a few decades later, in 1584, in an already mannerist figurative atmosphere, by Prospero and Francesco Pacchioni. The small cloister has a typical Renaissance layout. Some paintings are visible but most of the decorations were covered with a layer of lime in the 1950s. The Great Cloister presents itself to an imposing scenographic vision with the facades crossed from the high loggia and thickly decorated with statues and windows. The current share of the countryside of the Great Cloister is reduced compared to the original situation.The cloisters have been recently restored and are home to art exhibitions; they have been recently home to European Photography 2011 and the exhibition of the artists of the Italian Pavilion of the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.

Look at the file of the IAT office in Reggio Emilia.