Thursday, January 27, 2011

Getting to Know the Vatican Library - CCR Event

We are pleased to invite you to attend a special multimedia exhibit to give you a glimpse into the patrimony conserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library.

The exhibit "Conoscere la Biblioteca Vaticana, una storia aperta al futuro" was put together in honour of the completion of a 3-year restoration project in the libraries.The historic Vatican Libraries, founded in the year 1451, contain 1.6 million volumes, original manuscripts, ancient coins and drawings of such historic artists as Botticelli, Bernini and Borromini.
Pope Sixtus IV appoints Bartolomeo Platina prefect of the Vatican Library, fresco by Melozzo da Forlì, c. 1477 (Vatican Museums)
WHEN: Sunday, February 6th
TIME: 11.10 am entrance to the exhibition - meeting time 10:45 am
COST: €8.00 CCR Members & Guests
RSVP: to Cindi Emond at canadarome@gmail.com as soon as possible, you will be responsible for your booking
Cindi's contact number: 339 159 7897
Note: This multimedia tour is conducted through a multi-lingual audio guide included in the entry price

The exhibit will not take place in the Library itself, but is being held in the exhibition space Braccio di Carlo Magno.

The meeting point will be at Piazza San Pietro where the colonnade begins on the left hand side looking towards the Basilica. The tour begins at 11:10 am so please there a the meeting spot no later than 10:45 am. Note that it will not be possible to wait for late comers.

Featured in the special exhibit are the pages from the works of Aristotle, Dante, Galileo, Virgil, Manzoni, Leopardi and poetry of Michelangelo, plus the parts of the Old Testament from the Papyrus Bodmer which were purchased by the Vatican in 2007. Visible also is an actual laboratory where these precious volumes are handled and restored.