Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana: A Treasure Trove of Ancient Manuscripts

The main public square of the Italian city of Venice is the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square). Around this square are some of the most recognizable buildings in Venice. The most famous of these are the Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica) and its iconic bell tower, the Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Campanile). As St. Mark is the patron saint of the city, it is little wonder that many of the public buildings in Venice are named after him. Another building on the Piazza San Marco named after the city’s patron saint is the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (the National Library of St. Mark’s).    The Biblioteca Marciana is located at the end of the Piazza San Marco, and separated from the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) by the Piazzetta San Marco. This building, which symbolizes the city’s wealth and tradition of public investment in intellectual and artistic pursuits, was designed by the Italian architect, Jacopo Sansovino.