The Capitular Library, a treasure to discover near the Colomba d’Oro

Verona is a city told in layers: the Roman stones of the Verona Arena and the Renaissance geometry of its buildings, but also the pages of ancient books—ink, history, and parchment. Not far from the Colomba d’Oro, near the Ponte Pietra bridge, next to the Duomo, is the « Capitolare » (Chapter) Library of Verona: it is the oldest continuously active library in the world, and it houses more than 1,200 manuscripts. It is an essential stop for those who choose to experience Verona beyond the most obvious tourist clichés.

The world’s oldest active library: it’s in Verona

When talking about historic libraries, we often think of Alexandria, in Egypt, or the Vatican. Yet it is Verona, the city of the Colomba d’Oro, that holds this unique record: the Biblioteca Capitolare is recognized as the oldest library in the world still open for visitors.

Its history spans over fifteen centuries, uninterrupted: a long span of time during which empires have fallen, languages ​​have transformed, and cities have changed face.

The Veronese Riddle: When was the Italian language born?

On an August day more than fifteen centuries ago, the scribe Ursicinus completed copying the manuscript known as “Codex XXXVIII.” Among its pages lies the Veronese Riddle, considered by scholars to be one of the earliest testimonies of the transition from Latin to Italian: “se pareba boves / alba pratalia araba / et albo versorio teneba /et negro semen seminaba” (which translates to: “He had his oxen before him / he plowed white meadows / and he had a white plow / and he sowed black seed”— the riddle’s solution is the scribe himself: “The fingers of his hand write on the blank pages of a book, with the quill pen, which “sows” the black ink”).

Thanks to that testimony, the Capitulary can boast at least 1,509 years of uninterrupted activity: a global record that very few other places in the world can claim.

Verona’s Cathedral, near the Colomba d’Oro

The Capitular Library is located next to the « Duomo », that is Verona’s Cathedral. This is one of the most elegant and quiet areas of the historic center, where time seems to move at a different pace than the busier squares. You can reach it from the Colomba d’Oro with a pleasant 15-minute walk (or in less than 5 minutes on a bike, which you can rent at our reception).

After your visit, we recommend continuing towards Ponte Pietra, arguably Verona’s most iconic bridge: from here, the view encompasses the Roman Theater, the Adige River, and the silhouette of the Torricelle hils, offering one of the most beautiful and most photographed views of the city.

What if literary greats had passed through the Capitolare Library?

It’s natural to ask: what if Shakespeare had visited the Capitular Library ? Would he have written a different story?

Perhaps he would have found inspiration among the silent halls inhabited for centuries by copyists and scholars. Perhaps he would have imagined characters capable of defying time with words rather than love.

And what if Goethe, during his Italian Journey, after admiring the Giusti Garden, had decided to stop here too? He probably would have added a page dedicated to that place where knowledge still seems to breathe today.

These are unanswered questions. But this is precisely the charm of the Capitolare: it leaves room for the imagination without ever ceasing to recount reality.

What we do know for sure is that it was here that, in 1320 (just 17 years before the palazzo that still houses the Colomba d’Oro was built), Dante Alighieri delivered his dissertation, “Quaestio de aqua et terra.”

The deep connection with the Colomba d’Oro

At the Colomba d’Oro, we experience culture as a daily practice of hospitality. When our guests ask us to tell them about the origins and soul of the 4-star hotel closest to the Verona Arena, we show them our meeting/coworking room, where testimonies and memorabilias of our more than 100-year history are displayed. It’s the same spirit with which philologists, just steps away from us, study and preserve the Capitulary’s codices: caring for memory to pass it on intact to the future.

How to visit the Capitular Library during your stay in Verona

The Capitular Library can be visited both independently and through guided tours; in both cases, reservations are required, which can be made directly on the Capitolare website. From the Colomba d’Oro, it is 15 minutes away, strolling through the most beautiful streets of the historic center, as seen in the Netflix Movie Love in the Villa, set among the bends of the Adige River.

This visit is particularly recommended for those who have already visited the Verona Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, and Juliet’s House, and want to explore a lesser-known but equally surprising place. Book your room in the center of Verona at the Colomba d’Oro, and enjoy such beauties.

Verona Cathedral, near the Colomba d’Oro

The Capitolare Library is located next to the “Duomo”, that is Verona’s Cathedral. This is one of the most elegant and quiet areas of the historic center, where time seems to move at a different pace than the busier squares. You can reach it from the Colomba d’Oro with a pleasant 15-minute walk (or in less than 5 minutes on a bike, which you can rent at our reception).

After your visit, we recommend continuing towards Ponte Pietra, arguably Verona’s most iconic bridge: from here, the view encompasses the Roman Theater, the Adige River, and the silhouette of the Torricelle, offering one of the most beautiful and most photographed views of the city.

What if literary greats had passed through the Capitolare Library?

It’s natural to ask: if Shakespeare had visited the Capitolare Library, would he have written a different story?

Perhaps he would have found inspiration among the silent halls inhabited for centuries by copyists and scholars. Perhaps he would have imagined characters capable of defying time with words rather than love.

And what if Goethe, during his Italian Journey, after admiring the Giusti Garden, had decided to stop here too? He probably would have added a page dedicated to that place where knowledge still seems to breathe today.

These are unanswered questions. But this is precisely the charm of the Capitolare: it leaves room for the imagination without ever ceasing to recount reality.

What we do know for sure is that it was here that, in 1320 (just 17 years before the building that still houses the Colomba d’Oro was built), Dante Alighieri delivered his dissertation, “Quaestio de aqua et terra.”

The deep connection with the Colomba d’Oro

At the Hotel Colomba d’Oro, we experience culture as a daily practice of hospitality.

When our guests ask us to tell them about the origins and soul of the 4-star hotel closest to the Verona Arena, we accompany them to our meeting room, where testimonies to our more than 100-year history are displayed. It’s the same spirit with which philologists, just steps away from us, study and preserve the Capitulary’s codices: caring for memory to pass it on intact to the future.