Gregoriana Biblioteca Direct

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gregoriana Library underwent significant transformations. Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) played a crucial role in expanding the library's collections, adding thousands of volumes from across Europe. The library became a hub for scholars and intellectuals, who came to study and translate ancient texts.

Features roughly 70 incunabula and 80 precious books from the 16th century. gregoriana biblioteca

Over 150,000 bound volumes, with roughly 1,300 current subscriptions. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gregoriana

Nestled in the historic center of Rome, the Gregoriana Biblioteca is more than just a library—it is a living archive of theological thought, philosophy, and cultural history. As the central library of the Pontifical Gregorian University, its shelves guard over 1,200,000 volumes, including rare incunabula, ancient manuscripts, and the personal notes of scholars who shaped modern Catholicism. Whether you are a researcher tracing 16th-century counter-reformation texts or a visitor curious about Jesuit history, the Gregoriana offers a silent, sacred space where faith meets intellect. Features roughly 70 incunabula and 80 precious books

This loss could have spelled the end for the Jesuit scholarly tradition in Rome. Yet, demonstrating remarkable resilience, the Jesuits re-established the university at its current location on Piazza della Pilotta, taking the name "Gregorian" in honor of Pope Gregory XIII, a great benefactor of the original college. The library had to be rebuilt from the ground up. The "new" Gregorian Library was born out of this necessity, restocked through the international networks of the Jesuit order and the donations of private collectors who wished to support the university's mission. This rebirth gives the library a unique character; while it holds ancient roots, its current collection reflects a conscious re-gathering of wisdom undertaken in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.