Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III
Encyclopedia
The Biblioteca nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III (Victor Emmanuel III National Library
) is a national library
of Italy
. It occupies the eastern wing of the 18th century Palazzo Reale
in Naples
, at 1 Piazza del Plebiscito
, and has entrances from piazza Trieste e Trento. It is funded and organised by the Direzione Generale per i Beni Librari and the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali.
In quantitive terms it is the third largest library in Italy, after the national libraries in Rome and Florence, with 1,480,747 printed volumes, 319,187 pamphlets, 18,415 manuscripts, more than 8,000 periodicals, 4,500 incunabula
and the 1,800 Herculaneum papyri.
), with its nucleus formed of books holdings of the Palazzo Capodimonte, the celebrated Farnese library Carlo di Borbone
had transferred to Naples in 1734). Opened to the public in 1804 under the name of the Reale Biblioteca di Napoli, in 1816 it became the Reale Biblioteca Borbonica. Additions to its collection came from abolished religious houses and those confiscated from private collections. With the unification of Italy in 1860 it took up its present name of the Biblioteca Nazionale.
In 1910 the Officina dei papiri ercolanensi was added to the library – this was the workshop founded by Carlo di Borbone to conserve the papyri
found in excavations at Herculaneum
. After long debate and on the suggestion and efforts of Benedetto Croce
, in 1922 the library was moved to its present location at Palazzo Reale, granted to the library by King Victor Emmanuel III (whose name it still bears). After the transfer, the collections of other important neapolitan libraries were annexed to it, including the Biblioteca Brancacciana (formed in Rome by cardinal Francesco Maria Brancaccio
in the first half of the 17th century, transferred to Naples, and finally becoming Naples' first public library).
It suffered during the Second World War due to the German and Allied occupations of Naples (being set fire to by the Germans in the four days of Naples
), though the most precious manuscripts had been transferred to safer locations and remained there until the library reopened in 1945. In 1980 a wing of the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake, forcing the library to transfer some of its holdings to another part of the building.
National library
A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books...
) is a national library
National library
A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It occupies the eastern wing of the 18th century Palazzo Reale
Royal Palace (Naples)
The Royal Palace is a palace in Naples, southern Italy. It is one of the four residences used by the Bourbon Kings of Naples during their rule of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies : one is in Caserta, another on the Capodimonte hill overlooking Naples, and the third is in Portici on the slopes of...
in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, at 1 Piazza del Plebiscito
Piazza del Plebiscito
Piazza Plebiscito is one of the largest squares in Naples. It is named for the plebiscite taken on October 2 in 1860 that brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy...
, and has entrances from piazza Trieste e Trento. It is funded and organised by the Direzione Generale per i Beni Librari and the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali.
In quantitive terms it is the third largest library in Italy, after the national libraries in Rome and Florence, with 1,480,747 printed volumes, 319,187 pamphlets, 18,415 manuscripts, more than 8,000 periodicals, 4,500 incunabula
Incunabulum
Incunable, or sometimes incunabulum is a book, pamphlet, or broadside, that was printed — not handwritten — before the year 1501 in Europe...
and the 1,800 Herculaneum papyri.
History and collections
The library was founded at the end of the 18th century in the Palazzo degli Studi (which now houses the Museo ArcheologicoNaples National Archaeological Museum
The Naples National Archaeological Museum is a museum in Naples, southern Italy, at the northwest corner of the original Greek wall of the city of Neapolis. The museum contains a large collection of Roman artifacts from Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum...
), with its nucleus formed of books holdings of the Palazzo Capodimonte, the celebrated Farnese library Carlo di Borbone
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
had transferred to Naples in 1734). Opened to the public in 1804 under the name of the Reale Biblioteca di Napoli, in 1816 it became the Reale Biblioteca Borbonica. Additions to its collection came from abolished religious houses and those confiscated from private collections. With the unification of Italy in 1860 it took up its present name of the Biblioteca Nazionale.
In 1910 the Officina dei papiri ercolanensi was added to the library – this was the workshop founded by Carlo di Borbone to conserve the papyri
Villa of the Papyri
The Villa of the Papyri is a private house in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum . Situated north-west of the township, the residence sits halfway up the slope of the volcano Vesuvius without other buildings to obstruct the view. The villa suburbana was owned by Julius Caesar's father-in-law,...
found in excavations at Herculaneum
Herculaneum
Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
. After long debate and on the suggestion and efforts of Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce was an Italian idealist philosopher, and occasionally also politician. He wrote on numerous topics, including philosophy, history, methodology of history writing and aesthetics, and was a prominent liberal, although he opposed laissez-faire free trade...
, in 1922 the library was moved to its present location at Palazzo Reale, granted to the library by King Victor Emmanuel III (whose name it still bears). After the transfer, the collections of other important neapolitan libraries were annexed to it, including the Biblioteca Brancacciana (formed in Rome by cardinal Francesco Maria Brancaccio
Francesco Maria Brancaccio
Francesco Maria Brancaccio was an Italian cardinal.He was elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Urban VIII in his consistory of 28 November 1633. He became Bishop of Viterbo in 1638, then of Sabina , and finally of Frascati...
in the first half of the 17th century, transferred to Naples, and finally becoming Naples' first public library).
It suffered during the Second World War due to the German and Allied occupations of Naples (being set fire to by the Germans in the four days of Naples
Four days of Naples
The Four days of Naples refers to the popular uprising in the Italian city of Naples between 27 and 30 September 1943 against the German forces occupying the city during World War II...
), though the most precious manuscripts had been transferred to safer locations and remained there until the library reopened in 1945. In 1980 a wing of the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake, forcing the library to transfer some of its holdings to another part of the building.
See also
- Old Testament fragment (Naples, Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele III, 1 B 18)Old Testament fragment (Naples, Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele III, 1 B 18)Naples, Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele III, MS 1 B 18 is a fragment of 5th century manuscript of the Old Testament written in uncials in the Sahidic dialect of the Coptic language. The manuscript has only 8 surviving folios and includes the text from Job 40:8 to Proverbs 3:19.On folio 4 verso there...
- Lectionary 138Lectionary 138Lectionary 138, designated by siglum ℓ 138 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on paper leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 15th century.- Description :...