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The Marciana National Library in the foreground, with Todaro's column on the right and the bell tower of San Marco in the background (Marco Trevisan - Venipedia / Bazzmann)

This is definitely the best place to learn about Venetian and Venetian culture; it is especially important for its Greek collection (one of the most important in the world), manuscripts on Venetian subjects and rare Venetian editions. Suffice it to say that since 1603 the Biblioteca Marciana has regularly received a copy of all the publishing production in the area.
Mostly works on ancient culture and literary, philosophical, historical and artistic subjects are preserved, as well as cartographic, graphic, music and theatre materials: the value of its holdings is close to one million volumes.

The National Marciana Library was born from the idea of Francesco Petrarca, who decided to donate his books to the city Venice in order to found a public library in 1362. The project did not actually go ahead until 1537, when its construction began in Piazzetta San Marco to the designs of Jacopo Sansovino. It also received a large collection of books donated by Cardinal Bessarion to the Serenissima in 1468.

The main section of the library is currently located in the ancient Mint, and winds up to the Palazzo of the Sansovino Library.

The library predominantly prese

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