It’s worth visiting the Malatestiana Library (named after the Malatesta family who once ruled the area) for two main reasons: First, it is the first civic library in Europe—that is, a library owned by the municipality, open to the public, and still preserving its furniture and design from around 570 years ago (its construction was completed in 1452). Second, its interior layout, resembling a basilica, is quite unique. Three central halls are divided by columns, each containing padded tables and reading benches. Light enters through Venetian-style windows and a rose window on the main wall. The manuscripts, books, incunabula, and other texts it houses are truly impressive.