Royal Library of Turin facts for kids

The Royal Library of Turin, also known as Biblioteca Reale, is a very important library and museum in Turin, Italy. It holds many old and valuable books, drawings, and maps. It's a special place where history and art come together.

The presumed self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci from the Royal Library.

Discover the Royal Library

The Royal Library of Turin is a famous library in Turin, Italy. It is also a museum. It keeps many old and important books, drawings, and maps. This library is a special place where you can learn about history and art.

How the Library Started

The library was started by King Charles Albert of Sardinia in 1839. He was a king who ruled a part of Italy. He wanted to create a place for important collections. Over time, the library grew very big. Many of its treasures came from the collections of the House of Savoy. This was a very old and powerful royal family.

What You Can Find Inside

Today, the Royal Library has a huge collection! It holds nearly 188,000 printed books. It also has over 4,400 handwritten books, called manuscripts. These are very old books written by hand.

The library also has 3,000 drawings. Some of these drawings are very famous. You can also find 188 books made before the year 1501. These are called incunabula. There are also more than 5,000 books from the 1500s. The library also has many pamphlets, engravings, and maps. All these items show the rich history of the region.

Leonardo's Famous Drawing

One of the most important items in the library is a self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist and inventor. This drawing is very old and special.

The self-portrait is kept in a very safe place. It is in an underground vault. This vault is built to protect the drawing from many dangers. It can resist fires, earthquakes, and even airplane crashes. This shows how valuable and important this drawing is.

See also

In Spanish: Biblioteca Real de Turín para niños