The Vatican Library, one of the largest libraries in the world with over a million books, was formally established in the 15th century. The library, which was established by Pope Nicholas V and extended by Pope Sixtus V, is a treasure for people who like literary history. The Vatican Library’s digital manuscripts are now available to the entire globe thanks to recent efforts to move a portion of the collection online.
Numerous pieces of evidence suggest that the library may have been around for a very long period before being formally founded in the fifteenth century. According to historians, it predates the beginning of Christianity in Rome. Up until the middle of the fourteenth century, the library’s original materials were scattered.
A great number of literary works were transferred to Avignon (France). It functioned as the seat of the Catholic Church for almost 100 years in the fourteenth century.
The collection of the works began with Pope Nicholas V, who is primarily to blame for the library’s concentration at the Vatican. As a result, the Vatican Library’s holdings were centralized. Pope Nicholas accumulated more than a thousand writings before his passing. The library expanded and had to overcome many obstacles to continue to exist. Pope Sixtus V commissioned the construction of the structure that now serves as the library in the middle of the 16th century.
The current structure, which has three stories and contains the Vatican Library’s collection, was created by Domenico Fontana:
- There is a sizable collection of old papyri in the basement.
- A considerable area for the restoration of works is located on the first floor.
- Each of the pictured manuscripts is situated on the second floor.
What Can Be Found in the Vatican Library Collection?
The Vatican Library is home to several significant works, some of which are listed below:
Aeneid by Virgil
This masterpiece, which is among the most well-known in the whole Latin world, was finished in 19 BC. The poem relates to Aeneas’s tale. According to tradition, he travels to Rome and becomes a forerunner of the Roman people. Aeneas, Rome, and the Trojan War are all connected in the poem. Virgil ordered its destruction on his deathbed since it had 12 volumes and was not complete. However, Augustus mandated that the writings be published in the form that is familiar today.
Papyrus 75: The Gospel according to Luke and John
The Vatican Library’s archives house the renowned Papyrus 75. One of the most significant biblical texts ever discovered, so the theory goes. The Vatican Codex The Codex Vaticanus, composed of 759 pieces of parchment, is said to be the world’s oldest copy of the New Testament. Since the 15th century, it has been at the Vatican library after arriving from the Holy Land through Istanbul.
Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
In the Vatican Library, a copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy with illustrations by Botticelli is on display. Although the masterpiece is not complete, some pieces, for instance, are retained in Berlin. The images are regarded as some of Botticelli’s best creations, with the Map of Hell being one of the most well-known.
The Vatican Library is now being put online as part of an ongoing endeavor. The procedure is laborious. The DigiVatLib team members concur that they are unaware of the contents of around 80% of the documents.
There may be treasures and amazing secrets of the Vatican Library that we just don’t know about! There are 80,000 codexes to be archived! Created digital manuscripts are stored online and available for free!
The Vatican Library could contain great mysteries and hidden riches that we are just unaware of. 80,000 codexes need to be archived! Digitally created texts are kept and made accessible online for free!
Today, the Vatican’s secret archives are accessible to a limited number of scholars each year. However, any material relating to the personal lives of the Cardinals dating back to 1922 is unavailable for review.
The Vatican’s hidden archives are now only open to a select group of researchers each year. It is not possible to study any documentation pertaining to the Cardinals’ private life prior to 1922, though.
In other words, you cannot enter the Vatican Library if you don’t match the requirements listed below! Only university professors, Ph.D. candidates, and employed researchers are permitted access.
Only those in the aforementioned professions may attend, but they must demonstrate that the information they are looking to study is not already available elsewhere.