Palazzo Bocchi is located in Via Goito and takes the name of a renowned literary scholar from the Bolognese University Achille Bocchi (1488 – 1562).
The building known as "Il Vignola" was built between 1545 and 1565 by Jacopo Barozzi and Sebastiano Serlio and is a typical example of the Renaissance architecture.
Bocchi was the founder of the literary academy "Ermatema" and Palazzo Bocchi was used as its headquarters.
Bocchi had two inscriptions affixed to the outside of the building, one in Hebrew from Psalm 120 and the other from the epistle by Horatio (Epi. 1.1.61).
The text in Hebrew on the left side of the building means "O Lord, deliver my soul from the wicked lips and deceitful toungue".
The text in Latin on the right means "You shall be king, they say, if you act righteously".
Those two sentences were meant to illustrate the phylosophical principles of the academy.
Somebody lateron carved Greek crosses on the epigraphs over the Hebrew writing of the name of God and over the word "King" in the latin text.
People believe that it was done by the Inquisition as a warning to the academy for its interest in Judaism.