On the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, we want to take you on a special journey to the heart of Lazio, to discover a place that has forever marked the history of culture and the dissemination of knowledge: Subiaco. This year, the charming town nestled in the Aniene Valley received a prestigious award, becoming the Italian Book Capital for 2025, picking up the baton from Taurianova in a ceremony that took place last April 5. A title that is not accidental, but has its roots in a glorious past, when Subiaco was the first town outside Germany to preside over the birth of an innovation that would revolutionize the world forever: movable type printing.
Historical context and the invention of Gutenberg
To fully understand the magnitude of this event, we need to step back to the 15th century. Europe was a continent thirsting for knowledge, where books, extremely expensive and laborious to make by hand by amanuensis, were a privilege for the few. In this context of intellectual fervor, an invention destined to change the course of history was taking shape in Germany through the ingenuity of Johannes Gutenberg. His revolutionary metallic movable type printing technique was opening up unimaginable horizons, promising to produce huge numbers of copies in previously unthinkable time and at previously unthinkable cost, and contributing decisively to making knowledge accessible to an ever-widening public.
The arrival of the Press in Subiaco
And it is precisely at this crucial moment that the history of Subiaco becomes inextricably intertwined with that of printing. Two German clerics, Conrad Sweynheym of Mainz and Arnold Pannarz of Prague, sensed the extraordinary potential of the new invention. Driven perhaps by the search for an environment of peace and patronage, they found refuge in the magnificent Monastery of St. Scholastica, an oasis of spirituality and culture, nestled in the picturesque Sublacian valley, just a few kilometers from the historic center. Within the silent and industrious walls of the Benedictine cloister, Sweynheym and Pannarz brought the first printed books to Germany and, above all, Gutenberg’s revolutionary technique. It was here, between 1465 and 1467, that the first book printed in Italy outside the German borders saw the light of day: the Institutiones Oratoriae of the Latin rhetorician Lactantius. This pioneering work was followed by other valuable editions, including Cicero’s De Oratore and St. Augustine’s monumental De Civitate Dei. It was an extraordinary undertaking that testified to the intellectual vivacity of the monastery and the foresight of the two printers.
The move to Rome and further production
After this fertile Sublacian interlude, Sweynheym and Pannarz moved to Rome, the beating heart of culture and power. In the Eternal City they opened a second printing press on the first floor of the Palazzo Massimo, a short distance from Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori. Here, between 1467 and 1473, they printed as many as 48 Latin classics, contributing significantly to the dissemination of ancient knowledge and the cultural renaissance of the time.
Even today, the library of the Monastery of St. Scholastica proudly holds the precious first editions of those works that marked the dawn of printing in Italy. A true historical and cultural treasure, a witness to an era of great change. And in Rome’s Piazza dei Massimi, visitors can still admire the workshops that once housed the activities of the two printing pioneers, commemorated by a memorial plaque celebrating their ingenuity and daring.
Subiaco: ancient roots and monasticism
But Subiaco’s history does not end with the press. The town’s foundation is rooted in Roman times, but its development is intrinsically linked to Benedictine monasticism. The presence of important monasteries, such as the hermitage of St. Benedict (the Sacro Speco) and, indeed, St. Scholastica, has made Subiaco a center of spirituality and culture of primary importance for the whole of Europe over the centuries. It is no coincidence that Petrarch, visiting the Monastery of St. Scholastica, described this enchanting place as the “Threshold of Paradise.” In addition to its pioneering role in the history of printing, Subiaco also boasts an ancient tradition in papermaking, an activity closely connected to the dissemination of books.
Subiaco Italian Capital of the Book 2025
This rich cultural and historical legacy certainly played a key role in Subiaco’s designation as the Italian Book Capital for 2025. This prestigious title represents a unique opportunity to further enhance Subiaco’s cultural heritage and to promote reading and books in all their forms. As anticipated, the “Threshold of Paradise” project, funded with 500,000 euros from the General Directorate for Libraries and Copyright, includes a rich calendar of initiatives throughout 2025. Highlights include innovative museum tours, theater performances, library interaction projects, and public readings involving schools, with the aim of celebrating the long and fascinating journey of the book through the centuries.
An invitation to discovery
But this Book Capital year will also be an unmissable opportunity to discover the beauty of Subiaco and its territory . In addition to the city center and its monasteries, it is possible to visit the Laghetti di San Benedetto, small natural pools of crystal-clear water formed by small waterfalls near the source of the Aniene River, immersed in an enchanted forest at the foot of the Sacro Speco. They can be reached by following a path from the remains of Nero’s Villa, a few kilometers from the Monastery of St. Scholastica.
The territory of Subiaco is a jewel set in the heart of the Monti Simbruini Regional Natural Park, easily reached by taking the A24 highway using the Vicovaro/Mandela exit, then continuing on the SS5 and SR411 in the direction of Subiaco. A journey that allows you to immerse yourself in an evocative landscape of art, sacred architecture, ancient history and unspoiled nature.
On this World Book and Copyright Day, Strada dei Parchi invites everyone to rediscover the priceless value of books, enhanced by a revolutionary insight that has found fertile ground in this location kissed by History, Nature and culture. Subiaco, with its glorious past and vibrant present, is confirmed as a beacon for reading lovers and a place to visit and celebrate. A trip on our highways thus becomes an opportunity to retrace the footsteps of history and immerse oneself in the magic of a place that has made a fundamental contribution to the spread of knowledge throughout the world.
