National Central Library of Florence

The National Central Library of Florence grew from Antonio Magliabechi’s private library of around 30,000 volumes. In 1714, in accordance with his will, it was left “for the universal benefit of the city of Florence”. It first opened to the public in 1747 under the name Magliabechiana. In 1771 Grand Duke Peter Leopold gave up the Medicean-Palatine-Lorraine Library and arranged for it to be joined to the Magliabechiana. The library was originally housed in rooms belonging to the Uffizi complex. In 1935 it moved to its present building, begun in 1911 to a design by architect Cesare Bazzani and later extended by Vincenzo Mazzei. This building, a rare example of architecture purpose-built for a library, is part of the monumental area of the Santa Croce complex. Entry to the library is restricted to study and borrowing. There are, however, exhibition spaces accessed from Via Magliabechi 2.