National Library Vittorio Emanuele III of Naples
The Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III is Italy’s second-largest national library, housed in the eastern wing of the 18th-century Palazzo Reale on Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. Founded on the collections of the Bourbon royal family and enriched by monastic suppressions and subsequent bequests, it holds approximately two million printed volumes, 20,000 manuscripts, and important papyrus collections from Herculaneum, making it one of the most significant research libraries in southern Europe.
At a glance
- Type
- National public library
- Period
- Royal library origins mid-18th century; opened to scholars 1804; public national library from 1860
- Style
- Housed within the Bourbon Palazzo Reale (17th–18th century)
- Location
- Piazza del Plebiscito 1, Naples, Campania, Italy
- Coordinates
- 40.8368° N, 14.2510° E
- Supervision
- Ministero della Cultura / Direzione Generale Biblioteche
Overview
The Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III occupies the eastern wing of the Palazzo Reale, one of the dominant buildings on Naples’s royal square, sharing the building with the National Museum of the Palazzo Reale. The library is funded and organised by the Direzione Generale per i Beni Librari within the Italian Ministry of Culture and fulfils the legal deposit function for the region of Campania, meaning it receives a copy of every publication produced in the region. Its collections encompass books, periodicals, maps, prints, photographs, and one of the most significant collections of ancient papyri ever found.
History
The library’s origins lie in the private royal collection assembled by the Bourbon kings of Naples in the mid-18th century, initially housed in the Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte. Charles III of Bourbon was instrumental in building the initial collection, which was transferred to the Palazzo Reale by Ferdinand IV. The suppression of religious orders under Napoleon brought thousands of manuscripts and early printed books from Neapolitan convents into the collection, dramatically expanding its scope.
After Italian unification the library was renamed in honour of King Vittorio Emanuele III and placed under national administration. The discovery of a carbonised papyrus library in the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum (buried by the 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius) added one of its most internationally celebrated collections: over 1,800 Herculaneum papyri, mostly works of the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus, which remain objects of ongoing scholarly study.
What you see
Researchers and general visitors access the library through the Palazzo Reale entrance on Piazza del Plebiscito. The reading rooms retain much of their 18th- and 19th-century character, with high ceilings, painted decoration, and original shelving in some sections. A selection of the Herculaneum papyri and rare manuscripts is periodically displayed in the library’s exhibition areas, offering direct access to objects that are among the most remarkable survivals of the ancient world. The library’s location within the Palazzo Reale means visitors can combine a library visit with the royal apartments and the palace museum.
Cultural significance
The Herculaneum papyrus collection alone places the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III among the most important research libraries in the world for classical studies. The library is a centre for the multidisciplinary Herculaneum papyri project, involving digital imaging, multispectral analysis, and international scholarly collaboration to read texts still obscured by carbonisation. Its broader manuscript and early printed book collections document the cultural life of southern Italy and the Mediterranean from the medieval period to the 19th century.
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza del Plebiscito 1, 80132 Napoli
- Opening hours
- Reading rooms open Monday–Friday; closed weekends and public holidays. Check the official website for current schedule.
- Access
- Reading room access requires a library card (free registration); exhibition areas may be open without registration
- Website
- bnnonline.it
Getting there
The library is at Piazza del Plebiscito, the main royal square of Naples, a 10-minute walk from Piazza Municipio and the ferry and metro hub at Municipio station (Lines 1 and 6). Bus lines along Via Toledo and along the seafront Lungomare both stop nearby. From Stazione Centrale (Garibaldi) take Metro Line 1 to Municipio (4 stops, approximately 10 minutes) and walk through the historic centre.