Royal Library of Turin
public library in Turin, Italy
The Royal Library of Turin is an important museum in Turin, Italy. It was started by King Charles Albert of Sardinia in 1839. Now it has 187,987 print volumes, 4,403 hand-written volumes (manuscripts), 3,000 drawings, 188 books made before 1501 (incunabula), 5,029 books from the 16th century, 20,987 pamphlets, and many engravings and maps. These works come mainly from collections from Savoy. The most important antique is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. This self-portrait is in an underground vault that is resistant to fires, earthquakes, and even airplane crashes.
