Happy National Library Week! Call me old-fashioned, but I’ve been known to read in a library a few times in my life. I mean, how would I not when the Boston Public Library was just sitting there, staring me down, inviting me in to explore it’s corridors? In honor of National Library Week (April 12 through 18) I’ve gathered a list of some of the most beautiful, and visit worthy libraries in the world.
So next time you’re planning a vacation, check one, or a few, of these off your lists!
The Admont Library in Admont, Austria
Located in the Alps, this is the second largest monastery library in the world. The hall is nearly 230 – feet long and contains 200,000 volumes.
Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Built in the 19th century, this library has over 350,000 works – the largest collection of Portuguese works outside of Portugal. Many of the books date back to the 16th century.
New York Public Library in New York, New York, USA
The New York Public Library has nearly 53 million books, and is the third largest library in the world. The Rose Main Reading Room also stretches nearly two city blocks – measuring 297 feet long by 87 feet wide.
Trinity College Dublin Library in Dublin, Ireland
The Trinity College is famed for it’s “Long Room” – the home to the largest collection of books in Ireland. It’s over 200-feet long and covered in marble and dark wood pilasters. When it was first completed, the “Long Room” had a flat ceiling, but the roof had to be raised to accommodate more books.
Central Library in Seattle, Washington, USA
This newer library, opened in 2004, is a 11-story glass and steel building in downtown Seattle. It was designed to be a space dedicated to books, and an access point for all types of media.
Sainte- Geneviéve Library in Paris, France
This is the main research and reference library for student at the University of Paris. It was constructed in the mid-19th century and is well known for it’s cast iron column reading room.
George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
This library, built as a gift to the citizens of Baltimore for their kindness and hospitality, has five-stories of cast-iron balconies filled with books.
The Royal Library of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark
Referred as the “black diamond,” the royal library was built as an extension to the national library of Denmark.
Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Boston Public Library has about 23 million items and is the second largest library in the US. It’s known for it’s beautiful courtyard, Italian-inspired architecture, and of course, Bates Hall.
José Vasconcelos Library in Mexico City, Mexico
This concrete and glass structure is made to look like the bookshelves are hovering in midair. Plus, there’s a giant whale skeleton hanging in the center of the library.
Alexandria Library in Alexandria, Egypt
A little history – the original library of Alexandria was established in the third century B.C. and was one of the largest and signficant libraries in the ancient world. Once it was destroyed, countless scrolls and books were lost. This new library, built in 2002, was made to honor the old library. The building is designed like a sundial and tilts towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Beinecke Rare Book Library in New Haven, Connecticut, USA
This is a literary archive of the Yale University Library and is one of the largest buildings in the world devoted to the preservation of rare books and documents. It has Vermont marble, granite, bronze, and glass that are designed to filter in some light so that rare materials can be displayed without damage.
Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, Magical Land
Because, duh.
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