The greatest testament to human learning is libraries, and whether they stand as reminders of history or feature modern architectureto impress, these 11 stunning libraries are some of the most beautiful in the world:
St. Florian Monastery Library Sankt Florian, Austria
Built during the late Baroque period, this library is one of the oldest and most impressive libraries in Austria. A total of 108,000 of the library’s 150,000 volumes date back to before 1900.
Bodleian Library Oxford, UK
Housed on the grounds of the University of Oxord, the Bodleian Library first opened to scholars in 1602, and is now used by students and scholars from all over the world.
Trinity College Old Library Dublin, Ireland
The Old Library was built between 1712 and 1732. The main chamber, called the Long Room, houses 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. It is nearly 65 metres in length.
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Handelingenkamer Library The Hague, Netherlands
The Operations Room is a library located within the Dutch Parliament building. All the Dutch Acts of the Senate and House are contained in this room.
Vasconcelos Library Mexico City, Mexico
The José Vasconcelos Library was constructed following an international architecture competition. Mexican architect Alberto Kalach conceptualised the library as a great ark of knowledge.
Liyuan Library Huairou, China
Situated two hours north of Beijing, the award-winning Liyuan Library is most notable for its façade of bent twigs, serving to camouflage the building into the landscape.
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State Library of South Australia, South Australia
Located on North Terrace, the State Library of South Australia has a collection focusing on South Australian information. The Mortlock Wing, with its mansard roof, is in the French Renaissance style.
Vennesla Library and Culture HouseVennesla, Norway
Impressive for its modern and angular design, the award-winning Vennesla Library and Culture House has been praised for its beauty, but has also been criticised for lacking functionality.
Wiblingen Abbey Library Ulm, Germany
This former Benedictine abbey is considered to be one of the finest examples of Rococo architecture. Beneath the exquisitely painted fresco ceiling is an ornamental, winding gallery supported by multiple columns.
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Joe and Rika Mansueto Library Chicago, USA
Built on the grounds of the University of Chicago, this library has been nicknamed ‘the egg’ because of its oval-shaped glass dome. The dome preserves the open space environment of the west lawn of the Joseph Regenstein Library.
Stuttgart City Library Stuttgart, Germany
Opening its doors in 2011, the public library of Stuttgart is a testament to simplicity and modernity. It features a simple cube-like design and a minimalist white interior.
