The Building
The impressive three-aisled ancient hall of the Malatesta Library in Cesena was completed in 1452 at the behest of the city’s lord Malatesta Novello and still today, unique in the world, preserves the original furnishings and manuscripts chained to the pluteus. For this reason, in 2005 it was included in the UNESCO Mémoire du monde register, which aims to preserve and make accessible the universal documentary heritage. The library is located in the historical centre of the city, in the context of what was once a Franciscan convent, of which the cloister, refectory and some other rooms survive. It has a floor plan with three naves: the central one has a barrel vault while the two side ones have cross vaults, all plastered in green. This library was built at the same time as the Malatesta Temple in Rimini designed by Leon Battista Alberti and was completed by architect Matteo Nuti.
History
Malatesta Domenico known as Novello (1418-1465), lord of Cesena who chose to become a patron of the arts by building the library, entrusted its management to the Franciscans and the Municipality. He called copyists to the city who transcribed numerous classical works and works by the Church Fathers, using the humanistic script developed in Florence at the beginning of the 15th century. Miniaturists of the highest calibre collaborated with them and decorated the volumes that are still studied today by researchers all over the world.