Laurentian Library

The Laurentian Library began with the collection of Cosimo de’ Medici the Elder (1389–1464), substantially expanded by Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–1492) and his circle of humanists. His nephew Giulio, Pope Clement VII, entrusted the architectural design to Michelangelo Buonarroti. Work began in 1524 and continued for a decade, until Michelangelo left permanently for Rome. Cosimo I de’ Medici opened the library to the public in 1571. Michelangelo’s monumental rooms can be visited. From the vestibule, a monumental staircase of striking theatrical effect leads into the reading room, divided by two rows of desks with wooden inlay, also designed by Michelangelo. The red and white terracotta floor was laid from 1548 onwards. Its central inlaid section repeats the ornamental motifs and symbolic images that also decorate the ceiling and refer to the Medici dynasty. The library, whose collections may be consulted only by scholars, now holds approximately 11,000 manuscripts, 2,500 papyri, 566 incunabula, 1,681 16th-century editions and around 120,000 printed editions dating from the 17th to the 20th century.

The Medici Laurentian Library combines a major manuscript collection with an architectural complex designed by Michelangelo. Its name recalls the Medici book collections and its connection with the Basilica of San Lorenzo.