Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti reopens in Rome

The Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti has reopened in Rome following an extensive restoration process. Located within the Minimi convent, the library’s collection of nearly 9,000 volumes was dispersed in 1798 during the Napoleonic occupation.

Restoration efforts began in 2003 with support from the Vatican Museums' laboratories, focusing on recovering the historical and architectural integrity of the decorative elements, including an imposing wooden ceiling. To address the absence of the original books, Belgian architect Olivier Goethals designed a ‘ghost library’—a temporary structure that recreates the concept of shelves and reading paths through empty space.

The reopening is marked by an inaugural exhibition titled ‘Hypothèse de Lecture’ by Gaia Bobò and Teresa Ranchino. The exhibition features works from 40 Italian and French artists, creating a contemporary dialogue within the historic space to commemorate the site’s complex history of loss and rebirth.