Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Renaissance library at St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy
The Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana is a Renaissance national library at St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. The building spans two floors with tall vaulted halls that hold ancient manuscripts, rare books, maps, and classical documents from several centuries.
Cardinal Bessarion donated 750 codices and manuscripts in 1468, creating the first public library in Italy for Venice. Jacopo Sansovino designed the current building starting in 1537 to house the growing collection of Greek and Latin works.
The reading room on the upper floor houses manuscripts from Greek scholars who fled to Venice after Constantinople fell. The collection shows how the city served as a gateway between East and West, preserving ancient knowledge for later generations.
Entry is available through a combined ticket with the Doge's Palace, which grants access to both buildings. The halls are located on the first floor above ground and can be reached via the staircase from the courtyard.
Since 1603, Venetian law has required all publishers to deposit one copy of every printed book with the library. This rule contributed to steady collection growth over four centuries, making it a complete archive of Venetian publishing.
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