The ancient Benedictine abbey, which was built next to the basilica dedicated to the protomartyr Giustina, is located in the heart of Padua. In the 15th century, under the direction of the abbot Lorenzo Barbo, the monastery initiated a reform of monastic life which led to the establishment of the congregation of St Giustina, afterwards known as the Cassinese congregation. It became an important cultural centre with close links to the city’s university. The Abbey lost its vast library collection in the 19th century and the monastery was transformed at different times into a hospice, a hospital and an army barracks. The library of the National Monument of Santa Giustina houses today a collection which serves the Benedictine community revived in the 20th century. It contains a rich collection of books on theology, patristics, liturgy, Church history and the history of monasticism.