Explore Lucca’s rich history and culture by leafing through ancient manuscripts, pamphlets and books housed in Lucca’s state library, the Biblioteca Statale di Lucca. The library’s extensive collection of texts also covers religion, philosophy and the humanities.
Biblioteca Statale di Lucca contains close to 500,000 texts and 3,000 periodicals in its vast literary repository. Many of the library’s texts originated in the 17th-cenutry Library of the Lateran Canons of St. Frediano.
Take the time to examine a first edition copy of St. Hildegard of Bingen’s opus Liver Vitae Meritorum. This was St. Hildegrad’s second philosophic volume, which she wrote between 1158 and 1163. Another famous work worth investigating is Abraham Oertelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Scholars consider this 16th-century collection of maps to be the first atlas. Look at the Missale Romanum, which belonged to a 15th-cenutry Lucchese bishop.
Delve into the Fund Baroni collection to learn about Lucca’s history. This collection has the coat of arms and genealogical information of Lucca’s noble families.
One of the world’s most renowned opera composers, Giacomo Puccini, was born nearby the state library. The Biblioteca Statale di Lucca has over 500 unreleased compositions, autographs, assorted writings and letters from the operatic master.
Two of the library’s rooms are open to the public. The reading room has material on its open shelves the more rare historic texts are in the study room.
Biblioteca Statale di Lucca is housed in the former Convent of St. Maria Corteorlandini, nearby the Palazzo Pfanner in the city’s centre. The library is only closed on Sundays. If you would like a tour, or would like to look at the rare materials in the collection, you will need to call ahead and speak to the director and make an appointment. The tours are conducted in Italian. To see the library’s holdings consult the online database.
