The library, by Jacopo Sansovino, was built and decorated with the most well known painters’ works of the Renaissance between 1537 and 1560 to worthily accommodate the Greek and Latin codes given to the Venetian Republic by the Cardinal Bessarione in 1468. Still today it belongs as monumental office to the Marciana National Library, together with the building of the Zecca, where there are the reading rooms and the offices.
From the gate, decorated with two Caryatids by Vittoria, you enter the Library through a noble stair with two flights, with vault ceiling along which there are six Roman columns of rare marbles from the Basilica in Pola. On the first floor there is one of the rarest sample of the wonderful aerial view map of Venice by Jacopo de' Barbari (1500), a masterpiece of art and precise copy of the real form of the city.
On the ceiling of the vestibule, that once was the Museo Statuario della Repubblica and held some Greek statues and reliefs, stands out La Sapienza by Tiziano (1560).
The sala della Libreria (Library hall) covered by a vault decorated with works by seven artists chosen by Tiziano and Sansovino, have on its walls portraits of philosophers, some of them by Tintoretto and Veronese. The current library has precious manuscripts, such as the 16th century’s Breviario Grimani and some old editions, among them some by Aldo Manuzio.
Useful information:
Opening hours:
Everyday
- Summer schedule (from 1st April to 31st October): 10 am - 6 pm
- Winter schedule (from 1st November to 31st March): 10 am - 5 pm
Prices:
St. Mark's Square Museum full Ticket : 30,00 euro
St. Mark's Square Museum reduced Ticket : 15,00 euro
- The St. Mark's Square Museum Ticket is valid for the Doge's Palace and the combined itinerary of Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana.
(Special prices for purchasing online 30 days upon visit: full ticket 25,00 euro, reduced ticket 13,00 euro)
Other tickets:
MUSEUM PASS
It includes the access also to all Civic Museum of Venice: Museums of Saint Mark's Square plus others like Ca' Rezzonico, Ca' Pesaro, Mocenigo Palace (check on website: https://www.visitmuve.it)
Museum Pass full: 40,00 euro
Museum Pass reduced: 22,00 euro
Contacts:
Tel: +39 041 2407211
E-mail: b-marc@cultura.gov.it
For any further information, please check website: https://bibliotecanazionalemarciana.cultura.gov.it/
Address: Piazza S.Marco 13/a cap 30124 - Venezia
How to get there: water-bus, stop "San Marco" or "San Zaccaria"
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