Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

The Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies is an academic institution in Rome dedicated to the study of Arabic language and Islamic traditions. Its library holds around 40,000 volumes, including rare editions, scholarly journals, and manuscripts written in Arabic and other languages.

The institution was founded in Tunisia in 1926 by the Society of Missionaries of Africa and moved to Rome in 1964 to expand its academic programs. The relocation to Rome allowed it to strengthen its role as a major center for research and education in Arab and Islamic studies.

The institute brings together students from around the world to study Arabic language and Islamic traditions in a shared academic space. This gathering of people from different backgrounds shapes daily life here and encourages conversation between different faiths.

Visitors can access the library and explore its extensive collection of texts in Arabic, though advance notice is advisable for visits. The institute is easily accessible in Rome and provides a quiet environment for study and research.

The institute publishes scholarly journals like Islamochristiana and Études Arabes that are read in research circles worldwide. These publications make it an important source of knowledge about Arab and Islamic topics in Western academic discourse.