Mercedes Cebrián (CRF 2009) published an article in the Spanish magazine Letras Libres about Civitella’s library. During an independent sojourn at the Castle in April, Mercedes explored the library with its many poetry books donated by Mark Strand, its Italian classics and translated editions, and so much more. The article is written in Spanish; read Mercedes’ article here, and purchase the magazine here.

A roughly translated excerpt:

“To access a private library is always an exciting experience, especially if the collection is hidden inside a sixteenth century castle amidst the hills of Umbria, in Italy. The excitement grows at the moment of passing through the gate of the castle, which is not a ruin turned into a museum but an active fortress, with its kitchen adapted to this century, its bedrooms, its living rooms, and its living library increasingly populated with new copies. The castle and the library to which I refer belong to the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, an international residency center for artists of various disciplines located less than an hour from Perugia, Arezzo, Assisi, and other historic cities in the region… upon reaching Civitella the irrepressible urge arises to read about Italy or immerse yourself in its literature as much as in its food, landscapes, and cultural and artistic heritage.”