The Malatestiana Library ( Italian : Biblioteca Malatestiana ), also known as the Malatesta Novello Library , is a public library in the city of Cesena in northern Italy . Purpose-built from 1447 to 1452 and opened in 1454, and named after the local aristocrat Malatesta Novello , it is significant for being the first civic library in Europe, i.e. belonging to the commune rather than the church or a noble family, and open to the general public. The library was inscribed in UNESCO 's Memory of the World Register in 2005.
11-506: The building and creation of the library was commissioned by the Lord of Cesena, Malatesta Novello . Construction was directed by Matteo Nuti from Fano (a pupil of Leon Battista Alberti ) and lasted from 1447 to 1452. At Novello's direction, the books were owned by the commune of Cesena, not the monastery or the family. Because of this governing structure, the collection was not dispersed like many monastic libraries. In 2005 UNESCO included
22-487: Is barrel vaulted and ends with a rose under which is the gravestone of Malatesta Novello. The fittings are composed of 58 desks, with coat of arms at the sides. The light comes in through the 44 Venetian style windows, which were purpose designed to provide ideal lighting for reading. The library has over 400,000 books, including over 340 codices covering various fields such as religion, Greek and Latin classics, sciences and medicine, and about 3,200 manuscripts from
33-460: The 16th century. The oldest manuscript in the library is a copy of Isidore 's Etymologiae . 44°08′20″N 12°14′38″E / 44.13889°N 12.24389°E / 44.13889; 12.24389 Malatesta Novello Domenico Malatesta , best known as Malatesta Novello (5 August 1418 – 20 November 1465) was an Italian condottiero , a member of the Malatesta family . He
44-819: The Convent di S. Maria (1438), the strengthening of the Rocca Malatestiana and enlargement of the city walls (1441); in 1452 he founded the Biblioteca Malatestiana , the first public library in Europe. He also built public works such as bridges, tunnels and dams. He died in Cesena in 1465. His death marked the end of the Malatesta seigniory in Cesena. Guidantonio da Montefeltro Guidantonio da Montefeltro (1377 – February 1443)
55-736: The Library in the Memory of the World Programme Register. The Malatestiana Library is one of the very few libraries (another one is the Librije in Zutphen, Netherlands) in the world of the so-called humanistic-conventual type, which blends humanistic principles with architecture otherwise reserved for religious buildings, and has preserved its structure, fittings and codices since its opening more than 550 years ago. The main doorway
66-472: The Piviero di Sestino. He also received Cervia by Sigismondo Pandolfo, building there important fortifications. In 1434, when he was 16, he married Violante da Montefeltro (daughter of Guidantonio count of Urbino) then four. The two lived separated, joining only on her twelfth birthday (1442). Aside from his military deeds, Malatesta Novello is celebrated for his large building programs in Cesena, such as
77-464: The condottiero Braccio da Montone . In 1427 he occupied Urbania . He died in 1443, his son Oddantonio succeeding him in Urbino. He married Ringarda Malatesta in 1397, but the two had no children. Guidantonio remarried with Caterina Colonna, who bore him 9 children. Apart from Oddantonio, his most famous son was the legitimated Federico , who was Duke of Urbino, as well as a condottiero and one of
88-546: The people turned against the leader, and hailed him and his brother Sigismondo Pandolfo as lords. Also, in 1431, he quelled a revolt in Fano . In 1433, the year since which he reigned alone in Cesena, he was created Imperial Knight by the Emperor Sigismund . Therefore, he abandoned the name Domenico to be called Malatesta Novello. At the time his lands included Cesena, Bertinoro , Meldola , Sarsina , Roncofreddo and
99-781: Was count of Urbino in Italy from 1403 until his death. In 1403, at the death of his father Antonio , Guidantonio inherited the family lands in the region of Italy called the Marche . Later he abandoned the Papal suzerainty and allied with King Ladislaus of Naples , who made him Gran conestabile of the Kingdom of Naples in 1411. Excommunicated by Pope Gregory XII , he took advantage of that move to conquer Assisi . He also controlled Castello, Cagli , Forlì , and Forlimpopoli . Guidantonio later reconciled with Pope Martin V and with his enemy,
110-403: Was born at Brescia , the son of Pandolfo III Malatesta and Antonia da Barignano. In 1429, after the death of his uncle Carlo Malatesta , he became lord of Cesena , at the age of 11, together with his brothers Galeotto Roberto (the only one of age, although he died in 1432) and Sigismondo Pandolfo . Two years later, he suppressed several riots in the city spurred by the Malatesta of Pesaro ;
121-614: Was the work of sculptor Agostino di Duccio (1418–1481). The walnut door at the main entrance dates back to 1454 and was carved by the artist Cristoforo from San Giovanni in Persiceto . Inside, the library features geometric design, typical of the early Italian Renaissance style. The aula has the layout of a basilica (reflecting the importance of the library as a "temple of culture"), with three naves divided by ten rows of white columns made from local stone; there are eleven bays in each aisle, which are pole vaulted. The central nave
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