The Bernardini Library is the beating heart of Salento culture. It is part of the architectural complex of the former Convitto Palmieri (Palmieri Boarding School) in the historic centre of Lecce and has been the coterie of local culture since its foundation in 1863.
The library holds the most precious book heritage in the province, now comprising some 300,000 volumes, 275 parchments, 489 manuscripts, 33 incunabula and 435 16th-century editions.
Thanks to its research and conservation activities, the Bernardini Library has the largest collection of printed sources on the history of Salento, making it virtually fa must visit for scholars and students.