The Swedish Institute in Rome: 100 Years

Istututo Svedese di Studi Classici a Roma has celebrated its 100th anniversary. The institute was founded thanks in part to the commitment of Crown Prince Gustav VI Adolf and opened its doors in February 1926.

The opening was met with enthusiasm by the press. Axel Boëthius (1889–1969), who later became Vice-Chancellor of what was then Göteborgs Högskola, was appointed as the first director.

For 100 years, the Swedish Institute in Rome has contributed to the advancement of research in classical archaeology and classical philology and has given several generations of students and researchers the opportunity to experience ancient culture from one of its foremost sources—Rome, the Eternal City.

Gothenburg University Library houses Professor Axel Boëthius’s personal archive. The archive is one of the library’s most extensive and consists of 352 volumes. The anniversary is being marked with an exhibition that, among other things, showcases this unique archival material and the institute’s publications.

Benvenuti!