This wing of the Victor Emmanuel III National Library holds the valuable and little-known Lucchesi Palli collection, established in 1888 when Count Febo Edoardo Lucchesi Palli of the noble Campofranco family donated his extensive library to the state. The count donated not only his books and manuscripts but also furniture and shelving from his library, having them transported and adapted at his own expense. The rooms were then embellished by the city’s most sought-after artisans. The original collection consisted of more than 30,000 volumes (librettos, theatrical works and Japanese literature in the original language). It has since considerably developed, becoming a reference for music, theatre and cinema. The collection includes many letters by opera composer Giuseppe Verdi; all the manuscripts and publications of the celebrated poet Salvatore Di Giacomo – who was also a librarian here; some 2,500 play scripts from the early 19th century and the Raffaele Viviani archive, spanning the entire career of the great Neapolitan actor and writer.
