Biblioteca Salaborsa, Public library in Palazzo d'Accursio, Bologna, Italy.
Biblioteca Salaborsa occupies the northern section of Palazzo d'Accursio, a Renaissance building next to Piazza del Nettuno in central Bologna. The space spreads across multiple floors with reading areas, book collections, and digital resources for public use.
The library opened in 2001 after former municipal offices in the palazzo were converted to public use while preserving the building's original architectural features. This transformation turned the palace into a modern public space, ending its role as the city's administrative center.
The name Salaborsa comes from a medieval market that once stood here, and the palace continues to serve as a gathering place for learning and exchange. Visitors can sense how the building bridges the city's past with contemporary community life.
The library is open Monday afternoons through Saturday daytime, with free entry and wireless internet throughout. Its location next to Piazza del Nettuno makes it easy to find, and modern facilities make it comfortable for reading and working.
A glass floor in the main hall reveals archaeological remains from ancient times, with foundations and structures dating to around 189 BC. These buried layers show how the city developed over thousands of years at this same location.
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