Europe’s first public library, built in 1609, the Biblioteca Ambrosiana was more a symbol of intellectual ferment than of quiet scholarship. It houses more than 75,000 volumes and 35,000 manuscripts including Leonardo da Vinci's priceless collection of drawings, the Atlantic Codex . An art gallery – the Pinacoteca – was added later. It exhibits Italian paintings from the 14th to the 20th century, most famously Caravaggio's Canestra di frutta (Basket of Fruit), which launched both his career and Italy's ultrarealist traditions.
