Monumental rooms of the National library Marciana (or Sansoviniana)
The library, by Jacopo Sansovino, was built and decorated by works of all the most famous artists of the Renaissance, between 1537 and 1560, with the scope of decorously containing the Greek and Latin codes which were given to the Venetian Republic by Cardinal Bessarione in 1468.
It is nowadays part of the National library Marciana where it keeps its function as the monumental part together with another building (where the lecture rooms and offices are located), the Zecca.
The library is reached by following the route from the portal, adorned
with two caryatids of Vittoria, and over the two-flight staircase with
a vaulted ceiling, along which six roman columns of rare marbles are
placed, coming from the Basilica of Pola. At the first floor there
remains one of the rarest examples of the Beautiful Sight of Venice by
Jacopo de’ Barbari (year 1500), a work of art and a precise
reproduction of the city’s true outlines.
La Sapienza (Wisdom) by Titian (1560) stands out on the ceiling of the vestibule, once a Public Museum of The Republic, and held a collection of statues and ancient Greek reliefs given to Venice by Giovanni Grimani in 1587. Today only a few of ancient Roman pieces remain.
The Library room, covered by a vault decorated by the works of seven different artists, chosen by Titian and Sansovino, holds, on its walls, portraits of philosophers, amongst which are some by Tintoretto and Veronese.
The actual premises contain precious manuscripts, like the Breviario Grimani of the V century and previous editions such as Aldo Manuzio’s one.
Useful information
Address: Piazza S.Marco 13/a cap 30124 - Venezia
Telephone: 0412407223 (+39)0412407211
Fax: 0415238803
Hours: from Monday to Thursday only bookings; Sunday (excluding the fourth Sunday of the month), at 10, 12 and 2pm.da lunedì a giovedì: esclusivamente su prenotazione; domenica (esclusa la quarta domenica del mese): alle ore 10.00, 12.00, 14.00.
Closed 1st January, 25th DecemberChiuso 1° gennaio, 25 dicembre
Library hours: Monday - Friday: 8.10 - 7.00pm Saturday 8.10 - 1.30pm
Consulting hours and use of reading rooms for study plus bibliography consulting on special occasions are all available at the library, Biblioteca Marciana
Entrance: full price € 13,00 reduced € 7,50 (San Marco Museum Plus), intero € 18,00 ridotto € 12,00 (Museum Pass)
It will be possible to book visits by directly making contanct with the museum assistant Mariachiara Mazzariol, by means of the following manners:
- by calling at 041.2407238 (from Tuesday to Thursday, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.); or 041.2407223 (on Sunday, except on the fourth Sunday of the month, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.)
- by sending an e-mail to: mazzariol@marciana.venezia.sbn.it
E-Mail: biblioteca@marciana.venezia.sbn.it
Web: marciana.venezia.sbn.it/
Actv transport lines: number 1, number 2.
La Sapienza (Wisdom) by Titian (1560) stands out on the ceiling of the vestibule, once a Public Museum of The Republic, and held a collection of statues and ancient Greek reliefs given to Venice by Giovanni Grimani in 1587. Today only a few of ancient Roman pieces remain.
The Library room, covered by a vault decorated by the works of seven different artists, chosen by Titian and Sansovino, holds, on its walls, portraits of philosophers, amongst which are some by Tintoretto and Veronese.
The actual premises contain precious manuscripts, like the Breviario Grimani of the V century and previous editions such as Aldo Manuzio’s one.
Useful information
Address: Piazza S.Marco 13/a cap 30124 - Venezia
Telephone: 0412407223 (+39)0412407211
Fax: 0415238803
Hours: from Monday to Thursday only bookings; Sunday (excluding the fourth Sunday of the month), at 10, 12 and 2pm.da lunedì a giovedì: esclusivamente su prenotazione; domenica (esclusa la quarta domenica del mese): alle ore 10.00, 12.00, 14.00.
Closed 1st January, 25th DecemberChiuso 1° gennaio, 25 dicembre
Library hours: Monday - Friday: 8.10 - 7.00pm Saturday 8.10 - 1.30pm
Consulting hours and use of reading rooms for study plus bibliography consulting on special occasions are all available at the library, Biblioteca Marciana
Entrance: full price € 13,00 reduced € 7,50 (San Marco Museum Plus), intero € 18,00 ridotto € 12,00 (Museum Pass)
It will be possible to book visits by directly making contanct with the museum assistant Mariachiara Mazzariol, by means of the following manners:
- by calling at 041.2407238 (from Tuesday to Thursday, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.); or 041.2407223 (on Sunday, except on the fourth Sunday of the month, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.)
- by sending an e-mail to: mazzariol@marciana.venezia.sbn.it
E-Mail: biblioteca@marciana.venezia.sbn.it
Web: marciana.venezia.sbn.it/
Actv transport lines: number 1, number 2.
Related contents
Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana
La Biblioteca Marciana (cioè la Libreria di san Marco, patrono e simbolo dello Stato Veneto) deve la sua origine al mecenatismo del Cardinale Bessarione , che donò, nel 1468, la sua raccolta: circa 750 codici, cui egli aggiunse poi altri 250 manoscritti e alcune opere a stampa.
St Mark’s Basilica
The Basilica is the point around which public and religious life revolves. It is the place where the Doges of old held their coronations.
It is the symbol of Venice – old and new.
The church was built in the 9th century to entomb the body of St Mark,
patron of the city whose remains were stolen from Alexandria in Egypt
in 828.
An Invitation to the Marciana Library
From the 23rd of May to the 29th June, 2009, the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana has organised a series of free guide tours of the library and its history.
St Mark’s Bell Tower
In front of the Basilica is the Bell Tower – 96.8 metres high, the highest bell tower in Venice, called "il padrone di casa" (the landlord) by venitian people. On top is the gold plated Angel Gabriel which is three metres high with large wings that, in the wind, make it revolve. For Venetians, when the angel is pointing toward the Bastilica, it is a sign of impending high tides. The bell tower provides a gorgeous view of the city and lagoon.
Saint Mark's Square
This is the symbol of the city’s public life. It is the only ‘piazza’ in Venice, the others are called ‘campo’. A long series of modifications have brought the piazza to what it is now – a rectangular public meeting place with the Basilica at one end and an isolated bell tower, the highest in Venice, to its left.
St Mark’s Museum
The Museo di San Marco reopened to the public in 2003. It has been modified by enlarging museum space in the atrium above St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s former dining room.
The museum centres on three large aspects of St. Mark’s Patrimony: mosaics, fabrics, the four bronze horses and ancient relics.
St Mark’s Treasure
In St Mark’s Basilica it is possible to admire such treasures as the famous altar piece, The Pala d’Oro, a gothic-byzantine goldsmith’s wrok, and a collection of sacred works of art.
Materiche armonie dell'arte
La Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana ospita dall'11 al 30 settembre una collettiva di arte contemporanea con quattro artisti: i pittori Joseph Kaliher e Pia Parodi e gli scultori Giorgio Bortoli e Paola Crema.
When: From Sep-11-2009 To Sep-30-2009
Where: Bibliotace Nazionale Marciana
Where: Bibliotace Nazionale Marciana
Una nuova iniziativa della Biblioteca nazionale Marciana: un capolavoro al mese
La Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana prosegue l'attività di divulgazione e di valorizzazione del suo prezioso patrimonio librario con una nuova iniziativa, per far conoscere alla città i suoi tesori: giovedì 4 febbraio 2010 si svolgerà il primo di un ciclo di incontri intitolato Un capolavoro al mese, che diventerà un appuntamento fisso per tutto il 2010.
When: On Feb-4-2010
Where: Antisala della Libreria Sansoviniana , Biblioteca Marciana Venezia
Where: Antisala della Libreria Sansoviniana , Biblioteca Marciana Venezia
A San Valentino, innamorati dell’arte a Venezia
In occasione della festa di San Valentino, il 13 e il 14 febbraio 2010, le coppie potranno accedere a tutti i musei statali acquistando un solo biglietto d'ingresso.
Aderisce all'iniziativa anche la Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana di Venezia, che propone agli innamorati delle visite guidate gratuite.
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