Biblioteca Casanatense, State public library in Rome, Italy
The Biblioteca Casanatense is a state public library near the Pantheon in the historic center of Rome. It holds rare manuscripts, early printed books, engravings, and historical maps inside a baroque building constructed by Dominican friars.
Cardinal Girolamo Casanate left his private library to the Dominicans of Santa Maria sopra Minerva when he died in 1700. Over the 18th century the collection grew through donations and was later brought under state ownership.
The library takes its name from Cardinal Girolamo Casanate, who left his personal book collection to the public. The main reading room, with its wooden shelves rising to the ceiling, still feels like a place where scholars of an earlier century would have felt at home.
The library is on Via Sant'Ignazio, a short walk from the Pantheon, and easy to reach on foot from most of the historic center. It is worth checking in advance which parts are open to general visitors, as some areas are reserved for registered researchers.
A large marble statue of Cardinal Casanate stands in the main reading room, although it was originally intended for a different part of the building. The library also holds a sizeable collection of prints and illustrated works, which is less expected in a place known mostly for its manuscripts.
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