Vatican Library, National library in Vatican City.
The Vatican Library is a national library in Vatican City that houses one of the world's largest collections of manuscripts and printed books within the papal palace complex. Multiple interconnected halls, galleries and storage vaults extend across different levels, forming a network of archive rooms with long shelves and climate-controlled chambers.
Pope Nicholas V founded this collection in the 15th century when he acquired Byzantine manuscripts after the fall of Constantinople. Later pontiffs expanded the holdings through purchases and donations over the following centuries.
The library's name comes from the Latin Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana, and its official founding bull of 1475 was titled Ad decorem militantis Ecclesiae. The first librarian appointed by Sixtus IV was the humanist Bartolomeo Platina, who produced a signed listing of the manuscripts in 1481. The reading rooms are reserved for qualified researchers and are not open to tourists.
Access is limited to scholars and researchers with prior authorization who must request their materials in advance. Consultation takes place in dedicated reading rooms under supervision from staff who can assist with searches.
Specialized workshops inside the building are devoted to restoring damaged manuscripts using both traditional and modern methods. These studios work on documents showing centuries-old damage from humidity, insects or human handling.
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