The Medici Family were wealthy bankers who supported learning and the arts in Florence in the 1500's. The family is credited with funding the Renaissance Era.
We are in Florence today and decided to devote most of the day to the Medici Family. We have been to Florence 2 times before and have seen the beautiful Duomo and the major art museums - which we love.
Michelangelo designed this library built within the Church of San Lorenzo - which is the Medici Family Church. Scribes or monks would set in this room and copy manuscripts. There were no printing presses at this time - so every manuscript had to be copied by hand. The Medici had one of the largest libraries in the world at this time. The original manuscripts were chained to these desks. Also scholars could obtain permission to come inside to read.
The steps were also designed by Michelangelo and were called the "path to light" (the path to learning.)
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