Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana

The Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana originates from the collection of Cosimo the Elder de' Medici (1389-1464), considerably enriched by Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449-1492) and “his” circle of humanists. His nephew Giulio - Pope Clement VII - entrusted the architectural project to Michelangelo Buonarroti: work began in 1524 and continued for a decade until Michelangelo's final departure for Rome. The Library was opened to the public in 1571 by Cosimo I de' Medici.

The Michelangelo Monumental Rooms can be visited: from the Vestibule, one enters through a monumental staircase, of extraordinary theatrical effect, into the Reading Room, divided by two rows of benches with wooden inlays, also designed by Michelangelo. The floor, in red and white terracotta, was created from 1548 onwards and has the central part inlaid with the ornamental motifs and symbolic images that also decorate the ceiling and refer to the Medici dynasty.

The Library, consultation of which is reserved exclusively for scholars, today holds approximately 11,000 manuscripts, 2,500 papyri, 566 incunabula, 1,681 16th century books and approximately 120,000 printed editions (17th to 20th century).