Biblioteca Civica Gambalunga

Rimini's Gambalunga Library began with a 1617 bequest by jurist Alessandro Gambalunga, who left his collection to the municipality for public use. Opened after his death in 1619, it is recognised as Italy's first civic library open to the public.

Why it matters

Gambalunga's bequest transformed a private collection into a civic institution. The library has continued to grow through later donations, including the collection of Cardinal Giuseppe Garampi in the eighteenth century. It remains Rimini's principal public library and a major centre for the city's historical and scholarly collections.

What to notice

The library's ancient rooms preserve seventeenth-century furnishings, antique globes, wall maps and historic books. Its collections include manuscripts and early printed works across subjects ranging from law to military science. The historic rooms and the working library together show how the institution has balanced preservation with public scholarly use.

Context and history

Alessandro Gambalunga's 1617 testament assigned his book collection to the Comune di Rimini; after his death in 1619, the library opened for public use. Its seventeenth-century collection was housed in the founder's palace on the street that now bears his name. Cardinal Garampi's eighteenth-century bequest deepened the collection, and nineteenth-century librarians Luigi and Carlo Tonini strengthened its ties to local history. Later additions include photographic archives documenting Rimini's modern life. The institution has retained its civic character for more than four centuries.