Guided Tour of the Biblioteca Capitolare in Verona

What to See: Medieval Manuscripts, Scriptorium and Rare Collections

A Journey Through Time Among the World’s Oldest Manuscripts
The Oldest Library in the Western World Still in Operation

A particularly recommended experience for schools of all levels: the visit to the Biblioteca Capitolare offers an authentic educational journey, bringing students closer to medieval history in an engaging and immersive way.

Stepping through the doors of the Biblioteca Capitolare di Verona, visitors are immediately transported to a world of centuries past: thousands of manuscripts that have survived wars, floods, and natural disasters, preserved within the very walls that likely once housed a medieval scriptorium — where monks painstakingly transcribed ancient texts, enriching them with exquisite miniature illustrations.
The visit is brought to life through immersive experiences, including the display of an ancient choir book, presented through image projection and audio of the original chant, evoking the religious rites of the Middle Ages.

Over 1,200 Manuscripts Unique in the World

The Capitolare holds over 1,200 manuscripts, including works unique in the world. On its shelves, visitors will find texts spanning a remarkable range of disciplines: theology, law, poetry, philosophy, astronomy, medicine, botany, history, and many more. This extraordinary breadth bears witness to the fertile encounter between religious and secular knowledge that lies at the heart of Western cultural development.

The Chapter Archive: 11,000 Parchments Dating Back to 710 AD

In addition to its manuscript collections, the library holds a rich archive of parchments, diplomas, and handwritten documents. The Chapter Archive contains around 11,000 parchments — the oldest dating back to 710 AD — along with 716 folders of paper documents from the 13th century onward, tracing centuries of activity by the canons of Verona. Further holdings have been donated by private individuals and institutions.