A journey through Rome at UWTSD Special Collections

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) will host a special open day celebrating Rome, the “eternal city,” through a remarkable display of rare books from its Special Collections.

The event will take place on Wednesday 18 February, with two sessions available at 10am and 2pm, in the Roderic Bowen Library and Archives on its Lampeter campus. Each session will begin with a short introductory talk, followed by an opportunity to examine the volumes on display.

Visitors will have the opportunity to view a selection of volumes published between the 17th and 19th centuries, offering insight into Rome as a city of visible history and artistic inspiration. Highlights include Giambattista Piranesi’s magnificent Le antichità romane, alongside books created for Grand Tour travellers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Also on display will be Edward Lear’s Views in Rome and its Environs, a travel book by the celebrated nonsense poet.

Many of the works would have been purchased by young aristocrats as souvenirs of their Grand Tour, while others were produced by architects visiting Italy to showcase and promote their work.

Ruth Gooding, Special Collections Librarian at UWTSD, said:

“We have a wonderful selection of books about Rome. As well as being truly beautiful, they help bring the experiences of 18th-century Grand Tourists to life, while also whetting the appetite of 21st-century travellers dreaming of visiting the eternal city.”

To find out more or to book a place,  contact Ruth Gooding at r.gooding@uwtsd.ac.uk.

Further Information

Lowri Thomas

Principal Communications and PR Officer     
Corporate Communications and PR     
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk     
Phone: 07449 998476