Malatesta's Lands
Malatesta's Library: Memory of the World
Founded in the mid-fifteenth century, the Malatesta's Library is one of the most precious symbols of Cesena and Romagna. Thanks to its architectonical features and the huge historical and cultural heritage, perfectly intact, the Malatesta's Library offers the chance of discovering the enchanting medieval atmosphere, including handmade codes, armorial bearings of the city lords and suggestive reading rooms.
The Malatesta's Library is the only public library in Italy that has been keeping for over 500 years about 250.000 volumes, 287 incunabula, 4000 volumes and thousands of manuscripts dating back to the XVI-XIX centuries, besides over 17.000 letters and autographs. The Library places unique Gothic and semi-Gothic readings, written by scribe friars for the illustrious Domenico Malatesta, at the most curious visitors' disposal.
Among the special texts kept in the Library of Cesena, do not forget the smallest book in the world, which dates back to 1897 and can be read with the naked eye.
In 1992 Unesco has included the Malatesta's Library among the documentary goods of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, due to its international historic value related to the "Memory of the World".
Malatesta's Library
Piazza Bufalini, 1 - Cesena
Tel. +39 0547 610892 - fax +39 0547 21237
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www.malatestiana.it
Among villages and strongholds
In Cesena there is one of the most beautiful and imposing strongholds of Romagna, built in its current shape by Galeotto Malatesta, on the Garampo hill and close to the town centre, surrounded by the Rimembranza Park. From Cesena we get to Montiano, whose fortress became the permanent residence of the Malatesta Family according to Carlo Felice's will in the XVI century. The castle of Montenovo, ancient residence of the Malatestas and contested by the Archbishop of Ravenna, the Lords of Rimini and Cesena, has been the hub of a diplomatic speech of Federico Barbarossa.
In Longiano, the imposing Malatesta's Castle stands on the top of the hill and overlooks the whole village and the surrounding plain, still enclosed within its double walls.
Evidence of the Malatestas' history is also present in Monteleone (Roncofreddo), in particular in its Castle and in the remains of its defensive walls. Even the walls of the Castle in Borghi, dating back to the fifteenth century when Sigismondo Malatesta was ruling, have stood up well over time. In San Giovanni in Galilea one can discover some remains of the walls that marked the outer perimeter of the watching towers.
IAT Information Office of Cesena
Tel. +39 0547 356327 - fax +39 0547 356393
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www.comune.cesena.fc.it/Cesena/turismo
