Salone Teresiano
The grand Teresian salon, original environment of the Library from June 1779 which takes its name from Maria Theresa of Austria, occupies the entire top floor of the western courtyard called Alessandro Volta, qualifying part of the overall design of the architect Giuseppe Piermarini. The massive wooden shelves, crowned with carved cornices with tables showing the classes of subjects of the books collected there, are original from the period; throughout its length the salon is crossed by an agile railing rounded balcony.
The librarian Piccaroli states that "the first group of books in the new library is believed as counting about 12,000 volumes", but in 1820 the library holdings was about 50,000 volumes, and the salon became insufficient for storing so much as a consequence the University had to equip the Library of new premises.
For a long time the Salon played the dual role of library stock (volumes wall are not freely accessible by readers and are protected by gates) and study room. Only in recent years it has been used as a venue for events and exhibitions in order to enhance the value of the library and host cultural events.
In the Teresian Salon a marble bust of Joseph Frank, benefactor of the Library and a big globe from the XVIII century made of gypsum and wood are preserved.