Constructed on a plan by J. Sansovino and completed
by V. Scamozzi, the monumental rooms of St Mark’s
National Library open off an imposing doorway.
The entrance hall ceiling features Wisdom by
Titian while in the false niches of the walls
of the Reading Room is a series of paintings,
among which The Philosophers by J. Tintoretto.
The library has valuable examples of Byzantine
and Venetian bound books, as well as illuminated
manuscripts, early printed books and illuminated
codes.
Situated in the area once occupied by the Venice
Mint, you enter through the grand doorway by
V. Scamozzi.
The great Reading Room occupies what was once
a central courtyard covered by a wide skylight.
The library includes Greek and Latin codices,
manuscripts and early printed books. It seems
that it was founded thanks to Franceso Petrarch
who promised to leave his manuscripts to Venice
if a library named after St Mark were to be
built.
Next to the Correr Museum is the Archeological
Museum with a rich and precious collection of
ancient sculptures, including many Greek originals,
as well as numismatic archeological collections.
