Basilica of San Lorenzo
Florence, Italy
Laurentian Library, Florence
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Photo: Sailko, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Paid, via the San Lorenzo cloister
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Usually mornings, not daily
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Better without small kids
- Highlights
- Vestibule staircase and reading room
- Collection
- About 11,000 manuscripts
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Location
- Above the San Lorenzo cloister
Key facts
1523Pope Clement VII commissioned Michelangelo
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English Wikipedia1525building work began
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English WikipediaAmmannatifinished the staircase from Michelangelo's clay model
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English Wikipedia1571the library opened to readers
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English Wikipediac. 11,000manuscripts in the collection
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English WikipediaHistory of the Laurentian Library
The Medici collected books and manuscripts for generations, in Greek, Latin and Italian. Cosimo the Elder and Lorenzo the Magnificent did the most, and the library takes its name from Lorenzo. When Cardinal Giulio de' Medici became Pope Clement VII, he decided the family collection deserved a proper home and in 1523 gave the job to Michelangelo.
The library was built above the cloister of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici parish church. Work began in 1525, but in 1534 Michelangelo left for Rome for good. The building was finished without him, from his drawings and instructions: Bartolomeo Ammannati built the famous staircase from the master's clay model, and the library opened to readers in 1571.
It is still a working research library, used by scholars, as well as a museum of architecture. Visitors see the vestibule, the reading room and temporary manuscript exhibitions; the stacks themselves are open only to researchers.
The vestibule and Michelangelo's staircase
You enter through a tall, cramped vestibule, known as the ricetto. Here Michelangelo broke almost every rule of classical architecture: the columns are sunk into the wall instead of standing proud, the windows are blind and the brackets support nothing. Grey pietra serena against white plaster gives the room the tension of a sculpture. This is where the style later called Mannerism was born.
In the middle is the famous staircase. It seems to pour downwards like lava: the central flight of oval steps widens towards the bottom, flanked by two straight flights without handrails. It's a staircase as sculpture, filling almost the whole floor. People often compare it to a waterfall, and architects still study it as one of the boldest ideas of the 16th century.
What to see in the Laurentian Library
- The vestibule staircase — Michelangelo's stone waterfall.
- The vestibule walls — recessed columns and blind windows.
- The reading room — long rows of wooden bench-desks.
- Carved ceiling and floor — the same pattern above and below.
- Manuscript exhibitions — ancient codices under glass.
- The San Lorenzo cloister — the courtyard with an orange tree by the entrance.
The reading room and manuscripts
The stairs lead up into a long, bright reading room. Rows of wooden benches with sloping desks line the windows, also designed by Michelangelo. Manuscripts once lay chained to each desk, and the ends of the benches still carry boards listing the books that were kept there.
Above is a carved wooden ceiling, and underfoot a floor of red and white terracotta. Look closely and you'll see the ceiling and floor patterns echo each other like a reflection. Matching windows on both sides light the room evenly, and it remains remarkably quiet.
The collection numbers about 11,000 manuscripts, including the Codex Amiatinus, the oldest complete manuscript of the Latin Bible, and the 5th-century Medicean Virgil. Exhibitions of original manuscripts are held regularly in and around the reading room; the library website lists what's on.
How to get to the Laurentian Library
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Basilica of San Lorenzo is about 1 min away on foot.
- Medici Chapels is about 3 min away on foot.
- Palazzo Medici Riccardi is about 3 min away on foot.
More tips
- Enter through the San Lorenzo cloister, by the door to the left of the church front.
- From Florence Cathedral, 4 minutes on foot.
- From Santa Maria Novella station, 7 minutes.
- In the cloister, take the stairs up to the first floor and the ticket desk.
Pairing it with the neighbours
The library is part of the San Lorenzo complex and works well with the basilica and the Medici Chapels, home to Michelangelo's famous marble figures. In half a day you get nearly all of Michelangelo's work for the Medici, with Palazzo Medici Riccardi a couple of minutes away.
Come at opening time: there are few tourists, and you can stand in the vestibule and look at the staircase from every side. Photos without flash are usually allowed. Take the stairs slowly; the steps are an unusual shape.
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Florence's museums: compare and choose
Museums and galleries in Florence rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Palazzo Vecchio | 52 | 1 h 30 min | Courtyard free, museum paid | 10 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uffizi Gallery | 51 | 3 h | Paid | 12 min walk |
| Santa Croce | 50 | 1 h | Paid | 17 min walk |
| Palazzo Pitti | 48 | 2 h | Paid | 19 min walk |
| Santa Maria Novella | 48 | 1 h | Paid | 7 min walk |
| Vasari Corridor | 45 | 1 h | Paid, timed entry | 11 min walk |
| Palazzo Medici Riccardi | 45 | 1 h | Paid | 3 min walk |
| Orsanmichele | 45 | 30 min | Free | 8 min walk |
| Laurentian Libraryyou are here | 44 | 30 min | Paid | — |
| Galleria dell'Accademia | 43 | 1 h 15 min | Paid | 7 min walk |
| Medici Chapels | 43 | 1 h | Paid | 3 min walk |
| Brancacci Chapel | 41 | 30 min | Paid, timed entry | 19 min walk |
| Bargello | 40 | 1 h 15 min | Paid | 10 min walk |
| Palazzo Strozzi | 38 | 1 h 15 min | Courtyard free, exhibitions paid | 7 min walk |
| Museo Galileo | 37 | 1 h 15 min | Paid | 14 min walk |
Michelangelo for the Medici
The Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Laurentian Library and the Medici Chapels, then Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
- Basilica of San Lorenzo45 min · Paid
- 3 min walk from the previous stopLaurentian Libraryyou are here30 min · Paid
- 3 min walk from the previous stopMedici Chapels1 h · Paid
- 4 min walk from the previous stopPalazzo Medici Riccardi1 h · Paid
4 places · about 3 h 25 min with walks · 10 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
Medici Chapels
Florence, Italy
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Florence, Italy
Florence Baptistery
Florence, Italy
How to do it right
- Check hours — they're short.
- Enter via the San Lorenzo cloister.
- Few tourists.
- The Medici Chapels are next door.
Questions
What is the Laurentian Library famous for?
Michelangelo's building, with its vestibule and famous staircase and the reading room, and the Medici collection of ancient manuscripts.
Who designed the Laurentian Library?
Michelangelo, for Pope Clement VII, from 1525; Ammannati finished the staircase from his model and the library opened in 1571.
Where is the entrance to the Laurentian Library?
Through the San Lorenzo cloister, by the door left of the church front, then up the stairs to the first floor.
When is the Laurentian Library open?
A few hours a day, usually mornings and not every day; see the official website for the timetable.
How long do you need?
About 30 minutes.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Laurentian Library
- Official site, bmlonline.it
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