Geek out at the Biblioteca Medici Laurenziana

 

Put me in a library designed by Michelangelo (at first, later contributors included Vasari... who seemed to have a hand in so much), that houses 11,000 manuscripts, features a beautifully designed reading room where the monks sat and pondered all the great books of the time, and I am in heaven and rather overwhelmed (see above).

This is an hours-long adventure that starts in San Lorenzo.  In the early 15th century, San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici family and it was originally an 11th century Romanesque structure.  In 1419, Giovanni Medici offered to finance the expansion of the church and called upon Filippo Brunelleschi to mastermind the design using Renaissance perspective, both in terms of architecture and of humanistic ideals.  The result is clean lines, though very Roman, still.  

It is very vast and my photos do not give you that sense.  One place that is particularly interesting is the chapel in which you can see a play of two very different sensibilities at work: Brunelleschi and Donatello.  Records state that B was pretty upset by the 'artificial' and sentimental rondels that were designed and rendered by Donatello.  But actually, that counterpoint is what makes this little chapel interesting:

 So, Saint Laurence.  Who was he?  He was a 3rd century martyr who was killed for his Christian beliefs under the rule of Roman emperor, Valerian.  He was burned to death, on a grid iron.  That is why he is the patron saint of chefs.  Seriously.  I'm not making this up.  Here is a fresco inside the basilica: 

From the basilica, you march into what was the monastery and the lovely interior courtyard:

Up to the second floor, up this staircase and into the library and reading room:

A very rational and organized plan where each reading area featured a bench, a large pitched desk top where the reader would put the manuscript, and an organized fashion for who reads what where.  Each bench has an indicator:  Latin poetry, Greek poetry, Astronomy, Latin history, etc.

I'm just like...:  massive geek out!

Because then you go into an exhibit of some of the 11,000 world altering, fabulous and amazing works that just happen to be housed here:

Hey ho, it's only Saint Augustine's "The City of God"

And then this:

Oh... it's just Boethius "The Consolation of Philosophy"

Oh.... and then:

Gosh, Virgil's "Aeneid".....

MASSIVE GEEK OUT!!!!

   It's all so fabulous.  Then you head down into the crypt where there is another interesting museum filled with religious and sacramental art, fabulous reliquaries, all around gorgeousness:

I left very inspired and tired.  That monk recipe for varicose veins is just not working.  ARGH!!