A national treasure in Milan in the form of the "Biblioteca di Brera"
Pallazo di Brera, a magnificent place for Italian literature
The Library resides in this imposing building built by the Jesuits in the 17th century. The value of the books is also emphasised by their storage in this luxurious space. The art of architecture pays homage to the art of the word. You will be enchanted several times over, your senses will be bombarded by the deluxe architectural design elements, your spirits filled with the spiritual content of the books. And you will also be in North Italy, in Milan, the city of opera, with its magnificent gothic cathedral.
National library status
It has held this status from 1880 and has worked hard on its privileged standing since then. On entering the courtyard you may have no idea you are in a library. But real bibliophiles feel the compulsion and lure of the books. Throughout its development the library received valuable collections from a number of collectors and also collects books published in Milan, and currently offers its readers 898,377 printed volumes, 2,119 manuscripts and 2,368 incunables (text printed in Europe before 1501).
Bibliophiles and book fans will enjoy themselves
The luxury of the library is in the fact that it is open to the public. As a result the love of books can be awoken in anyone who appreciates the work of the authors, turns every volume with reverence, and for whom the content of the book becomes a breath-taking adventure. If you have not surrendered to the passion of reading, a visit to the Library can become a luxurious historical experience for you.
Millions of words on paper
Apart from a hall containing written documents with first-rate historic design, the Library also contains the hall of Marie Therese (the founder of the Library), the research reading room Sala Manzoniana containing manuscripts and the catalogue hall. The Library, as an institution concerned with the legacy of written culture, resides near the botanical gardens, the astronomical observatory and the gallery of art. It creates a centre of art and science, which highlights human curiosity and the endeavour to find out about the world around us using all our senses.
