Central Library of the Sicilian Region — Alberto Bombace
The Central Library of the Sicilian Region — Alberto Bombace (Biblioteca Centrale della Regione Siciliana) is the principal public research library of Sicily, located in Palermo. Founded in the 19th century and named in honour of Alberto Bombace, a librarian and patriot of the Risorgimento period, it holds one of the largest and most historically significant manuscript and printed collections in southern Italy.
At a glance
- Type
- Public regional library and cultural heritage institution
- Period
- Origins in 19th century; current institutional form as regional library throughout the 20th century
- Style
- Historic palazzo building; institutional library architecture
- Location
- Palermo, Sicily, Italy
- Coordinates
- 38.1143° N, 13.3552° E
Overview
The Central Library of the Sicilian Region occupies a historic building in central Palermo and functions as the official regional library of Sicily, operating under the auspices of the Sicilian Regional Government. It is one of the principal repositories of Sicilian cultural memory, housing manuscripts, incunabula, printed books, periodicals, maps, and archival documents spanning many centuries. The library is dedicated to Alberto Bombace, a 19th-century Sicilian intellectual who contributed significantly to the library's early organisation and growth.
History
The library's origins trace to the suppression of religious orders in Sicily during the early 19th century, when monastic and conventual book collections were confiscated and aggregated into public repositories — a process common across the Italian peninsula during the Napoleonic period and Risorgimento. Over subsequent decades the collection grew through donations, legal deposit requirements, and purchases, eventually achieving the status of central regional library. The dedication to Alberto Bombace honours a librarian who served during a formative period of the institution, embodying the connection between Sicilian cultural identity and the broader Italian national movement.
What you see
The library occupies premises in historic Palermo, and its reading rooms and stacks reflect the layered character of Sicilian institutional heritage. The collections include illuminated manuscripts of medieval and Renaissance date, early printed books (incunabula from the 15th century), Sicilian historical newspapers, cartographic materials documenting the island's geography over centuries, and a rich archive of documents relating to Sicilian civic and religious life. The library also maintains a reference and consultation service open to researchers and the general public.
Cultural significance
As the central library of Sicily, the institution plays an indispensable role in preserving the textual and documentary heritage of one of Italy's most historically layered regions — a land shaped by Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Hohenstaufen, Aragonese, and Bourbon rule. Its manuscript holdings are particularly valuable for scholars of medieval Mediterranean history, Arabic-Norman Sicily, and early modern Sicilian culture. The library also serves as a public memory institution for contemporary Sicilian civic life.
Practical information
- Address
- Biblioteca Centrale della Regione Siciliana, Palermo, Sicily, Italy — check official website for current address and opening hours
- Access
- Open to the public for reading and consultation; advance registration may be required for manuscript access
- Website
- Check the official regional library website for current services and access conditions
Getting there
The library is located in central Palermo, Sicily's regional capital. Palermo is served by Falcone-Borsellino International Airport (PMO), with connections to major Italian and European cities. Within the city, the library is accessible by city bus and on foot from the historic centre. The central railway station (Palermo Centrale) provides regional and intercity rail links.