Florence - National Library

(Local Name: Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale) The large building of the National Library in Florence (built 1911-1935) on Corso dei Tintori, Via Magliabechi and Piazza dei Cavalleggeri, near the Santa Croce complex contains 24,721 manuscripts, 723,138 letters and documents, 3,780 incunabula, over four million books, 5,855 volumes and 4,451 sheets of music, 630 atlases and 14,754 geographical and topographical maps.

Of especial value are an early 14th century copy of Dante's "Divine Comedy" (probably the oldest in existence), manuscripts by Galileo, and missals and bibles dating from before the invention of printing. The library goes as far back as the 13th century and preserves manuscripts by all the famous