Sala Borsa

In Bologna's main square, Piazza Maggiore, there are a whole lot of old, semi-famous things. There is the basilica where the coronation of the Holy Roman Empire's Charles V took place, the palazzo that became the prison of Prince Enzo, a stone eagle carved by a young Michelangelo, and the list goes on. Much newer is the Sala Borsa. Its outer shell is suitably medieval, but inside, it is a modern library that just opened in 2001. In fact, it is the largest open-shelf library in all of Italy. It is also one of my favorite places in Bologna.

When you walk into the main hall, it's a bit like walking into a train station from the late 19th century. It's one big open space, like a modern hotel atrium, ringed by walkways on three levels, all framed by elaborate ironwork. The ceiling is a combination of woodwork and colorful painting. It's hard to tear your eyes away, but the best architectural element of the Sala Borsa is actually beneath your feet. The floor is clear glass, through which you can see the ancient Roman ruins of the city. It's amazing to get such a close-up, birds-eye view. Living in a medieval city, I'm no longer impressed by anything new enough to have four digits in the date, but walking on top on Roman ruins is surreal.

The Sala Borsa is usually crowded. While that's not always ideal for my personal use, I think it's nice that people actually use the library. Bologna is a huge university town, and students flock to the Sala Borsa for their study rooms, but pretty much every age group is represented in the comfortable chairs scattered throughout the collections. In addition to all the Italian reading material, they also have a large English language collection. I only just got my library card Saturday night, but I can't wait to start using it!

Also, thanks to everyone who has sent me so much mail lately! I love it, and my blank wall is filling up, slowly but surely, with your lovely cards.