Construction of the St. Ambrose University Library began in 1994 and was completed in the fall of 1996. The architect leading the project wanted the new building to resemble one that might be seen in Ambrose’s city of Milan, Italy. The watercolor seen here was painted by Fr. Edward Catich in 1936 and depicts the Saint Ambrose Basilica (Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio). Similarities can be seen in the arches framing the main entrance, a nod to the Basilica's arcaded portico. The tower on the building's south side was also made to resemble the campanile (bell tower), which has a more practical use today as the building's fire escape. #ThrowbackThursday