Brunello Cucinelli Plans Universal Library in Solomeo, Umbria

Fashion entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli has announced the creation of a Universal Library in Solomeo, Umbria, set to open within three years. The library will be housed in the 18th-century Villa Guidarello, spanning 2,000 square meters and eventually holding 400,000 to 500,000 books, starting with an initial collection of 30,000 to 35,000 volumes. The project, part of the Fondazione Brunello e Federica Cucinelli, focuses on philosophy, architecture, literature, poetry, and craftsmanship, with books in multiple languages. Cucinelli described it as a "secular temple of culture" inspired by the ancient Library of Alexandria and Emperor Hadrian. The library will be free and open to the public. Architect Massimo de Vico Fallani, a close friend, will design the space. The announcement was made at the Piccolo Teatro Strehler in Milan, attended by Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, Umbria President Donatella Tesei, and University of Perugia Rector Maurizio Oliviero. The exact investment amount was not disclosed.