THE LAURENTIAN LIBRARY.

THE LAURENTIAN LIBRARY. The comments to the link to beautiful libraries nominated for inclusion the Laurentian Library in Florence, which was designed by Michelangelo. These photos do not fully convey the powerful effect of the library. Notice in particular the staircase in the bottom picture with the quote from Vasari: “Nor was there ever seen such resolute grace, both in detail and overall effect, as in the consoles, tabernacles, and cornices, nor any stairway made more commodious. And in this stairway, he made such strange breaks in the design of the steps and he departed in so many details and so widely from normal practice, that everyone was astonished.” Michelangelo designed another beautiful staircase (pictured here) which had the effect of changing the orientation of the Capitoline Hill away from the Roman Forum and toward Catholic Rome.