World libraries: Vatican unveils treasures of its library

A unique exhibition which is intended to cast light on the history and modern state of the Vatican Pope’s library, famous for its richest collection of ancient manuscripts, opened on November 11 2010 in Vatican.

The XV century Library allows only accredited scholars and qualified students access to its collection of some 75,000 manuscripts and more than 1.5 million printed books for research. The institute also possesses some 8,500 incunabula and one of the world’s most important collections of coins and medallions. However now, as part of celebrations marking the September reopening of the Vatican Library after three years of restoration, a special exhibition called “Understanding the Vatican Library: a History Open to the Future”, offering a virtual tour of the institution, opened this week in the Braccio Carlo Magno hall to the left of St. Peter’s Square.

The exhibition is comprised of several sections, including: History of the Library, Manuscripts, Drawings and Paintings, Printed Volumes, Prints, Numismatics, Archival Services, and Restoration and Photographic departments. Among the items on display are important historical manuscripts dating from the early Christian centuries to the modern era, rare incunabula, hand illustrated manuscripts and drawings and prints by master artists and a selection of rare coins and medals, some dating to the time of Jesus himself. Eighty percent of the objects and texts on display are original manuscripts, volumes, sketches and prints from some of the Europe’s most renowned artists from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Here, you’ll find a first edition print of Piranesi’s Scenes of Rome, a self portrait by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and poetic verses and sketches by Michelangelo, not to mention a bizarre work by Botticelli depicting scenes from the Divine Comedy.

An audio tour accompanies the visitor in one of five languages through a series of thematic exhibit rooms, many of which are enhanced by audiovisual effects.

So if you want to have an idea what the Vatican Library looks like and what it contains, you now have a chance to visit the exhibition opened until January 31st 2011.