Vatican Apostolic Library

Vatican City, Holy See

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The Vatican Apostolic Library, located within Vatican City, is one of the world's oldest and richest libraries, with origins dating back to the 4th century.

Officially expanded by Pope Nicholas V in the 15th century, the library houses over 180,000 manuscripts in numerous ancient languages including Latin, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian, alongside about two million printed books and serials. Its extensive collections include rare incunabula, coins, medals, prints, maps, and photographs, making it a critical resource for theology, history, science, and art research.

The library building, constructed in the late 16th century by Domenico Fontana under Pope Sixtus V, reflects Renaissance architecture. In recent decades, the Vatican Apostolic Library has embarked on a significant digitization project to make its fragile and invaluable manuscripts accessible worldwide while preserving them from damage.

It serves scholars globally and remains a symbol of vast human knowledge safeguarded by the Holy See.