The Hellenic Institute has a rich modern library of about 28,000 titles, with important books mainly on Byzantine and post-Byzantine history, literature and art, on the history of the Venetian-occupied Greek area, but also on Italian and European history and literature. The books entering the library come mainly from purchases, but also from donations or exchanges of works. The latest acquisition is the donation by the Metropolis of Italy to the Foundation of the personal library of the blessed Metropolitan of Italy Gennadius, consisting of about 2,000 books. The library of the Institute also holds a significant number of international scientific journals and is the only library in Italy that holds the most important series of Greek journals, thus meeting the research needs of the wider scientific community in Venice.
An integral part of the Institute’s library is the library of antiquarian books and manuscripts.
Manuscripts
The Institute holds a collection of 47 Greek manuscripts. Of particular interest are: three historiated Gospels on parchment (12th-14th century), the 14th century manuscript of Pseudo-Callisthenes, Alexander’s Narrative, with 250 colour miniatures, autograph notebooks of Gabriel Severus (1581-1588), various musical manuscripts and the book of the “Prothesis” or “Parrhesia” of the church of St. George in Venice. The latter recorded the names of the church’s benefactors and their place of origin, which were commemorated during the divine service.
The library of the Hellenic Institute’s antiquarian books includes more than 3,000 titles of Greek and foreign language books, which come from the rich library of the Flangini College. These are works of philosophy, rhetoric, theology, mathematics, geography, pedagogy, pedagogy, trade manuals, encyclopaedias, dictionaries, grammars, etc. from the 16th century to the end of the 19th century. Many of these were printed in the Greek printing houses of Venice, such as Glyki’s, Theodosius’, St. George’s and Phoenix’s.
During this period, a systematic recording of the palaeotypes is being carried out with the aim of creating a database and the printed circulation of a modern scientific catalogue.
