Ancient Library – Ex convent of S. Francesco
The Convent of S. Francesco dates back to the first Franciscan era; tradition attributes its foundation to Francis of Assisi himself, setting the date at 1219. Adjacent to the Convent is the church of S. Francesco. After the suppression of the convent in 1782, the church became the church of the Seminary and in 1913 the parish of SS. Giovanni and Colombano following the demolition of the parish church.
On the first floor we find the Chapel composed of a single hall with a small semicircular apse at the back. It is decorated with the use of pilasters, blind arches, perforated windows; there are several well-made woodwork such as the precious coffered roof, the choir loft and the entrance portal.
Among the rooms of the Seminar we find the Ancient Library, which boasts a very rich heritage, whose first nucleus dates back to the ancient Convent of the Franciscan friars minor, subsequently enriched by numerous donations. Current assets library which includes not only numerous 16th-century books but also precious incunabula, allows one to retrace the most significant stages in the history of printing and learn about the many aspects of the production of the “manufact-book”. Of great value is the “Hortus siccus”, dating back to the 18th century, a dry herbarium, with parchment binding and paper structure, which contains dried samples of the flora of the upper Lunigiana, with scrolls bearing the Latin captions of the preserved species. Today the library is open to the public and responds to the educational needs of the area through a multi-purpose cultural centre, equipped with study and consultation rooms, Internet stations, a qualified laboratory for the conservation and restoration of archival heritage and books. Lastly, the Pontremoli Seminary hosts the “Mons. Marco Mori”, an ancient school dating back to 1794.
For info:
Centro Culturale
seminario.pontremoli@gmail.com
Seminario di Pontremoli (+39) 0187.830045
Rettore (+39) 333.3321782
Elisa Battilla (+39) 338.6231144
www.seminariopontremoli.it
