This is my 4th entry into my blog on discovering the history of the Vatican City Library.
This week I have been trawling through documents and internet websites about the art that surrounds the library itself; being the Vatican, it is abundant with many different artworks with many different styles too.
I have also included a small list of questions which will be used for me to find out the answers too in the near future.
This blog has opened up many reasons for me to want to go to the Vatican City again! I holiday'd to Europe about 2 years ago and I did visit the Vatican City and only briefly touched on the library there. Little did I know that it housed some great collections and art too!
I have found a comprehensive website that details art in the Vatican city; specifically the museums that surround the city as well as some of the art that is housed inside the Vatican Library itself.
The website is listed here: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html
It is called "The Vatican Museums". They list the library on the website as part of a museum as they do function as both a museum and an archive; being that they show collections as they would do in a museum while also housing collections for people to read and enjoy as per a normal library. This is what makes the Vatican library unique.
The Vatican library hold many exhibitions for many different items including art. The BAV website has a link that includes information on the current and past exhibitions as well as the art that was put on display in and around the library. http://www.vaticanlibrary.va/home.php?pag=ufficio_mostre&ling=eng
I have found a few pictures that depict the Sistine Hall. The Sistine hall is a large hallway with the ceiling and walls painted in amazing detail. The hall is part of the library.
Here is one such picture
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| The Sistine Hall. There is an abundance of art to behold. |
What is interesting to note is that the Vatican Library is actually not specifically noted as part of the Vatican Church; it is associated with the church however it stands on it's grounds, that is, it is not a religiously affiliated building.
Questions I need to find the answers to:
1. Why is the Vatican Library not part of the Vatican Church? Aren't all buildings and everything in the Vatican City considered part of the church?
2. I have found information on the Pope's own private library. This isn't considered part of the Vatican Library. Why is this so?
3. A lot of art is moved around however there is no information listed exactly where the art is placed once moved. I want to know the extent of the art collection in the library and what happens when they take down certain pieces of art. Do they store them away?
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My research has largely been online to find out the current art that is situated within the Vatican City library. It has been a little bit hard as most information redirects to art in the museums surrounding the Vatican Library and not in the library itself.
I only recently found that the Sistine Hall was situated inside the Vatican City Library and not as a standalone building!
What is very interesting is that the Pope has his own private library! What it's contents are I do not know!
BAV website:
Vaticanlibrary.va (2012). BAV - Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. [online] Available at: http://www.vaticanlibrary.va/home.php[Accessed: 24th September 2012].
Vatican Museum website:
Mv.vatican.va (2012) Vatican Museums - Official web site. [online] Available at: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html [Accessed: 24 September 2012].
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