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From Clergy to Culture: The History of the Atrium

Story by: Ben Ambrosio

In 1563, the Council of Trent decreed that every major diocese establish a seminary to educate its clergy.In 1654,a seminary was finally opened in Cagli, fulfilling the decree. The Diocese of Cagli had concerns, however, about the size and condition of its building.

During the late 17th century, the number of students began to increase. Also,the original seminary building fell into disrepair. Walls were crumbling. The building was becoming unstable.

In 1770, the diocese broke ground for a new seminary, the building that now houses the Atrium, said geomitrist Remo Sabbatini. A geomitrist, much like an architect, specializes in building design, but must only design buildings smaller than four stories.

Since its construction in 1775, the seminary building has been a major though ever-changing landmark in Cagli. The original seminary covered grades one through 12, Sabbatini said.

He said that when the seminary opened in the late 1770s all boys from the town could attend, although it was mostly for those wishing to become priests. The seminary taught theology, canon law, and Catholic studies.

“The seminary was a kind of high school. Males attending would eventually become priests, but this was not always the case,” said Sabbatini.

To become a priest, a pupil would have to complete his education at this minor seminary, and then go to a major seminary in Fano that prepared men for ordination.

Lucia Braccini, Cagli historian, said that the boys that attended were from different backgrounds. “The poor would send their sons to become priests. And the wealthy families would send their sons, too, but not the first-born male,” said Braccini.

Those from wealthy families were either the second-born or third-born males. This was a consequence of the traditional Italian practice that the first-born male gets the family farm. Families would send younger sons to become priests.


Sons of a poor family, no matter their place in the birth order, were sent to the seminary so their families would not have to support them. The seminary educated, housed, and fed the boys. This was fine because their parents knew their sons were being cared and provided for.

This practice continued until about 1944, when the bridges into Cagli were destroyed by World War II bombing. This meant that only the Cagliesi could attend the seminary. When the bridges were rebuilt, outsiders did not return, said Sabbatini.

The improving postwar economy also hurt seminary enrollment, he said. Boys had more economic opportunities, and fewer wanted to become priests.

Families could support their children, so there was no need to send them to the church, said Braccini. The seminary began to shrink.

As a result, the diocese had neither the funds to run the building nor the students to justify the need for more funds. Around 1950, the seminary was closed, and its 50 students were sent to seminaries in nearby Urbino, Pesaro, and Fano.

The building lay dormant for a while. In the late 1960s, a clothing factory opened, with the main factory floor being what is now the main classroom of the Atrium.

The factory did not make very many clothes, nor was the quality very good, Sabbatini said. Local residents today are even unsure of the name of the company, or the kinds of clothes that it produced.

This company fell into trouble when it could not pay both the rent and the taxes. As a result, it had to close its doors about 10 to 15 years after it opened. Once again, the building was vacant.

Click here to see a tour of the Atrium Chapel

Seeing the potential for the space, Dr. Fransesco Mansi founded L’istituto di Lingua Italiana in 1993. The Atrium, as the building is now called, is a cultural and language institute that immerses students in the Italian language and culture, offering a unique learning experience in a small Italian town.

Today’s Atrium also houses a dance school and studio, Movimento e Fantasia, and a pre-school.

Web design by: Erin MacNabb Pictures by: Katie Cook Video by: Christin Goetz