Vallicelliana Library

The Vallicelliana library was founded in the second half of the XVI century by St. Philip Neri. Its resources include over 130,000 volumes of manuscripts, books and incunabula on the history of the Church from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century and palaeographic research. The collection is complemented by a valuable selection of engravings and medieval photographs. The pearl of the collection is Alcuin's Bible from the 9th century and the 12th century lectionary.

In 1581, the Portuguese writer Aquiles Estaço bequeathed over 1700 printed volumes and 300 manuscripts to Philip Neri and the Congregation. Over the years, the library has been supported by many donors. They were, among others Greek researcher Leone Allaci and Italian scholar Giuseppe Bianchini. During the French occupation in the second half of In the 18th century, the building was robbed. In the years 1837-38, a significant part of the collection was recovered.

The library is located in the monumental complex of the Oratory of St. Philip by Francesco Borromini.