Vatican Library โ history, photo, description, location, map
The sovereign state of Vatican City, located inside the capital of Italy, is the seat of the highest spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church. A rich and influential organization has been created in the enclave, with real power in the Christian world. The Vatican has a huge library of sacred significance. This is a repository of knowledge of Christian culture, where many books, manuscripts, documents and works of art are collected.
Story
For centuries, the Pontiffs have collected books for their personal libraries. The first mention of the papal book archive dates back to the 4th century AD. In 817, Pope Paschal I established the position of librarian of the Roman church. Catholic Europe of that period was tormented by inter-clan feudal strife, which did not allow high priests to steadily replenish book collections. The residence of the pontiffs was transferred from the Vatican to different cities. Due to moving, many valuable documents were lost without a trace. At the end of the XIV century, the papal throne returned to the Vatican.
The beginning of the 15th century was marked by the revival of the Vatican Library. Pontiff Nicholas V, after his election to the papacy, decides to create a public library to attract pilgrims and scholars from all over the world. Books and manuscripts of Nicholas V become the first exhibits in the institution. These were Latin, Greek, Hebrew manuscripts, classical works of Arabic literature, philosophical and historical treatises.
After the death of Nicholas V, the idea of โโorganizing a public archive was continued by the new Pope Sixtus IV. In 1475, he issues a decree according to which it was officially announced the opening of a library in the Vatican Palace. At this time, separate rooms are allocated for books, manuscripts and a secret archive. Giovanni Tortelli is appointed library manager and prepares the first catalog of copies for public reading and study. The rooms where unique books were kept were small, damp and dark. The status of the library required improved storage conditions.
In 1587, Pope Sixtus V commissioned the architect Dominico Fontana to build a new library building. The walls and ceilings of the halls of the new building were painted by Renaissance masters. Large window openings illuminated the rooms as much as possible. Wooden tables with benches were placed in the halls, on which a large number of books and manuscripts were laid out. Familiarization with documents was allowed only in the presence of a library employee.
The collection of books and manuscripts increased every year due to receipts from private individuals and crowned persons. It is noteworthy that the library fund was also replenished with manuscripts stolen during numerous military campaigns in Europe. Pontiffs of different eras organized scientific expeditions to Eastern countries to acquire unique ancient manuscripts.
During the Napoleonic invasion, the institution was plundered. Thousands of old books, manuscripts and archival documents were taken out. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, France returned the stolen goods to the Vatican. At the end of the 19th century, on the initiative of Pope Leo XIII, the library was modernized. A spacious reading room and a laboratory for the restoration of ancient manuscripts are being opened.
Description
The Apostolic Library is located in the Vatican Palace. The main entrance to the institution is located in the courtyard of the Belvedere, which consists of a rectangular architectural complex. The two-story building, with a central three-story extension in the form of a concave arch, is made in the architectural style of classicism. An oval colonnade crowns the roof of the library.
The premises of the Vatican Library are divided by themed huge halls and small rooms. On the first floor there is a papyrus room and a warehouse for manuscripts. Six massive columns support a frescoed ceiling. The panels depict dancing angels holding bouquets of flowers. Along the perimeter of the hall there are bookcases with golden goblets depicting scenes from the Old Testament.
The hall, called the Marriage of Aldobrandini, is decorated with ancient artwork describing the wedding ceremony, presumably Alexander the Great, as well as scenes from Homer's Odyssey. The Alexander Hall is especially beautiful, where the walls are lined with large panels depicting scenes of captivity and exile of Pope Pius VI during the Napoleonic occupation.
Equally impressive rooms of the library are: the halls of St. Paul and the Doxology, the Sistine salon, the chapel of Pius V and the gallery of Urban VIII. They contain paintings of ancient libraries, obelisks, illumination scenes of cathedrals and Roman monuments, as well as exhibits of linen tunics, household items made of ivory, glass and metal, and astronomical instruments.
The real masterpieces are the oldest books of the library. These are copies of the first printed Bible, illustrated manuscripts of the 8th-10th centuries, priceless manuscripts, poetic texts of ancient authors (Homer, Virgil, Aristotle).
Secrets
Secret rooms are located in the underground vaults of the library. On the shelves of a large archive of secrets lie important historical documents from the Middle Ages to the present day. This is information about all the states of the world, politicians, crowned heads and presidents. There are many documents containing correspondence, protocols of interrogations and correspondence of those in power with the Pope.
The secret archive contains unique copies of the Library of Alexandria. These are ancient Greek parchments containing the true history of the birth of Christianity in the world. There is an assumption that the library contains ancient documents indicating the location of the gold of the mysterious Inca Empire, reliable facts about the presence of alien creatures on Earth, as well as recipes for rejuvenation, healing and regeneration of the human body.
The Vatican Library today
According to official information, about 2 million printed publications, 160,000 manuscripts, 200,000 geographical maps and correspondence of pontiffs from different eras are stored in the Vatican Apostolic Library. Access to the materials of the Vatican Library is limited to ordinary citizens. When visiting an institution, you must have a high educational level, as well as have an evidence-based motive for studying the unique books and manuscripts of the archive. The Vatican Library is one of the most protected objects in the world. The courtyard of the building of the institution is under the supervision of the armed Swiss guard around the clock. The premises are equipped with modern automated security systems.
Where is it located and how to get there
The library is located in the Vatican on the territory of the museum complex. Buses, trams, as well as the metro will help you get to the institution. Transport stops are located within walking distance of the library.