There are many stunning buildings and other architectural gems in Florence and each has its own unique traits and histories that make them all the more interesting. One of the most striking and memorable in its comparatively simplistic theatrics, however, is the Laurentian Library.
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Located on the first floor of Brunelleschi's cloister, you will find an entrance to the Laurentian Library, a library that is home to the most important and prestigious collection of antique books in all of Italy and one of the greatest scholarly legacies left behind the Medici family that is still in existence.
Just browse our rentals and find the perfect luxury villa in Florence so that you can explore this amazing and stunning building for yourself.
Located on the first floor of Brunelleschi's cloister, you will find an entrance to the Laurentian Library, a library that is home to the most important and prestigious collection of antique books in all of Italy and one of the greatest scholarly legacies left behind the Medici family that is still in existence.
The collection was born of the passion of Cosimo the Elder, who attended the Academy of Roberto de' Rossi, met Niccoló Niccoli (who shared a passion for collecting ancient manuscripts of the works of classical authors) and took on board his guidance in acquiring a large number of works. He also inherited most of Niccoli's library and then donated a great many of these manuscripts to the monastery of San Marco.
In 1523, Pope Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici) commissioned the building of a new library to house the collection. The architect hired for the job was Michelangelo, who planned it, worked on it in person for ten years and then monitored its progression after his departure to Rome in 1534. As it stands, it is one of the most unified Mannerist buildings, with its decor having being executed at the same time as its construction.
In 1523, Pope Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici) commissioned the building of a new library to house the collection. The architect hired for the job was Michelangelo, who planned it, worked on it in person for ten years and then monitored its progression after his departure to Rome in 1534. As it stands, it is one of the most unified Mannerist buildings, with its decor having being executed at the same time as its construction.
The reading-room itself may be an elegant and lovely creation but it is the lobby area, the “ricetto”, that garners the most attention and awe. Built in characteristic Florentine two-one combination of grey sand-stone elements on white plaster, it is a bold statement expressed in dynamic tabernacle niches, the paired columns and frames, which builds to a crescendo before being released in the waterfall of the fantastical staircase (built by Ammannati in 1559, after a model by Michelangelo). Up the stairs and through the doorway, one enters the library proper: an aggressively symmetrical, elegant space that seems like the perfect place to fine-tune the mind to study. It, too, is a wonderful work of art but the dynamism of the vestibule makes for the most memorable part of this incredible building.
This is one of the architectural highlights of Tuscany and a must-see for those visiting Florence.
This is one of the architectural highlights of Tuscany and a must-see for those visiting Florence.
Photo credits
picture 1: Sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0
