Vatican Library re-opens after a three-year renovation

Members of OSP know well about long renovation projects. According to the Associated Press, this beautiful photograph, is a view of the Sistine Hall, part of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Vatican City, Monday, Sept. 13, 2010. The Vatican's Apostolic Library is reopening to scholars following a three-year renovation to improve its cataloging and security measures.The library, which houses one of the world's best collections of illuminated manuscripts, opens its doors Sept. 20. Details will be announced Monday at a press conference. The library was started by Pope Nicholas V in the 1450s with an initial 350 Latin manuscripts. By the time Nicholas died in 1455, the collection had swelled to about 1,500 codices and was the largest in Europe.