Visiting the Ambrosian Library
The cardinal of Milan envisioned a new cultural and universal institution to promote humanist values alongside religious study. His emissaries scoured the world with a clear mission: collect manuscripts from every culture. While the Ambrosian Library was not yet a reality, its foundations were taking shape by 1601. It officially opened in 1609 and has since become a historic site where nearly one million volumes and 40,000 manuscripts sit as invaluable treasures. A pinacoteca (art gallery) founded in 1618, featuring both Italian and international masterpieces, completes this exceptionally significant site.
Invaluable manuscripts and master paintings
With treasures such as the Virgil manuscript annotated by Petrarch, a fragment of the Muratorian canon dating to 170, an 11th-century poetry diwan, and twelve manuscripts by Leonardo da Vinci including a thousand pages of the Codex Atlanticus, the Ambrosian Library is a repository of rarities. The distinct scent of wood and aged paper fills the air, adding character to what was the first library opened for public reading and the second after Oxford. The halls are impressive, featuring entire walls of exceptional works stored in wooden cases, while the red velvet carpet enhances the ceremonial atmosphere. Exploring these artifacts is a privilege. Federico Borromeo did not just collect these extraordinary publications. The cardinal also bequeathed his private collection of paintings and drawings. This Pinacoteca, which has been consistently expanded, now spans 24 rooms where 1,500 paintings, copper works, and 248 drawings by great masters are on display. The list of artists is staggering. The preparatory cartoon for the Scuola di Atene by Raphael, the Ritratto di un musico by da Vinci, the Canestra di frutta by Caravaggio, and a Madonna by Botticelli all hang here, making this one of the most visited sites in Milan.
This library is truly sumptuous. The exterior architecture of the building is superb, but the interior is even more so. You feel like you are in a movie set. The library houses treasures, including works by Da Vinci and Caravaggio.