Plutei, Biblioteca Malatestiana (Cesena, Italy)

3D Model

Plutei, Biblioteca Malatestiana (Cesena, Italy)

The Biblioteca Malatestiana, founded in 1452 by Malatesta Novello, is the oldest civic library in Europe still preserved in its original setting. Its cypress wood reading desks, known as plutei, were designed to hold manuscripts on slanted surfaces, with benches attached for readers. Each book was chained to the desk, ensuring accessibility while protecting the collection.