Worth a Journey

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The World’s 100 Best Libraries

Malatestiana Library

Cesena, Italy

  1. THE WORLD’S BEST LIBRARIES WORTH A JOURNEY · 2026 ✦ ✦ N° 96 2026
Malatestiana Library

A civic library in Cesena, Italy, combining a 15th-century humanist hall in a former Franciscan convent with a modern municipal library. Visitors see original wooden benches, books chained to the desks and manuscripts preserved in the historic room.

Highlights

  • Nuti Hall with wooden benches
  • Books chained to reading desks
  • Sala Plana choir books

Good to know

  • Historic room only with a guided tour
  • Booking advised, waiting times can be long
  • Tour lasts about one hour

Also in Italy

  1. Biblioteca Salaborsa N° 67 Biblioteca Salaborsa Bologna Public library
  2. San Giovanni Library N° 86 San Giovanni Library Pesaro Public library
  3. Braidense National Library N° 92 Braidense National Library Milan National library