Royal Library of Turin, Turin, Italy

The Royal Library of Turin (Biblioteca Reale di Torino) is a library located within the ground floor of the Royal Palace of Turin. The library contains approximately 200,000 print volumes, 4,500 manuscripts, 3,055 drawings, 187 incunabula predating 1501, 5,019 sixteenth century books, 20,987 pamphlets, 1,500 woks on parchment, 1,112 periodicals, and 400 photo albums, maps, engravings, and prints.

Since his ascent to the throne of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1831, king Charles Albert wished to boost the cultural standing of the nation, and he did so through the introduction of a series of reforms and the establishment of a number of institutions. The library was then founded in 1842 as one of such institutions, with one of its aims being that of grouping and safeguarding manuscripts collected by the House of Savoy. The library was fitted out by painter and decorator Pelagio Palagi. In 1893 a Russian collector by the name of Theodore Sabachnikoff donated Leonardo da Vinci's Codex on the Flight of Birds to the library's collection as a gift to the king. Further works by Leonardo held by the library include his presumed self-portrait, his study for the angel in his Virgin of the Rocks, and his study for the angel in Verrocchio's The Baptism of Christ.

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User Reviews

Georges Younes (3 years ago)
One of the attractions of the Royal Palace of Turin is the Royal Library. It's set separately from the palace so you might end up missing it altogether. If you're a fan, make sure to look for it. Just show the ticket that you had purchased for the rest of the palace. Yo will be allowed a short visit, but that's all you need.

Dany Libraski (3 years ago)
If you love books, you have to pay a visit to this place. If you don’t (but you beloved do) don’t worry the visit can be very short.?

Jana Vansevenant (4 years ago)
This place seems to be closed all the time even tough there is staff inside and the hourtable indicates opening hours. We asked the staff when it would be possible to visit the library and she gestured a "never" - sign...

Fred Nts (6 years ago)
A lovely old library, which can be visited for free.

George Paul (7 years ago)
This ancient library brings you back in time. The old books can be even lent, but you have to be an university student or got a special authorization. Very interesting the underground floor (stairs at the bottom of the library) where many exhibitions are assembled. Some photos of the last exhibition about "drawings around Leonardo".

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