Though they are losing ground to the e-book and the audiobook, public libraries were once central hubs of human intellectual progress. There's something about them that still attracts people, however – whether it's their magnificent historical buildings or the unmistakable smell of old books and dust, scholars and bookworms alike still enjoy perusing their hoards of literary treasures.
Because of their critical importance, libraries were often built to be beautiful and built to last. Combined with the sometimes priceless book collections that they hold, their simultaneously enormous and intimate spaces possess a charm that no other type of building can command.
If you know of any other beautiful libraries that should be celebrated by all the book lovers, then please add them to this list. You can vote for your favorite houses of knowledge as well!
This post may include affiliate links.
The National Library Of Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland
Biblioteca Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
The Admont Library, Admont, Austria
George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland, Usa
St. Florian Monastery, Austria
Bibliothèque Nationale De France, Paris, France
Handelingenkamer Tweede Kamer Der Staten-generaal Den Haag Iii, Netherlands
Austrian National Library, Vienna, Austria
Biblioteca Joanina, Coimbra, Portugal
The City Libary, Stuttgart, Germany
The Iowa State Law Library, Iowa, Usa
The Oberlausitzische Library Of Science, Gorlitz, Germany
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, Connecticut, Usa
The Old Public Library Of Cincinnati, Ohio, Usa
Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève, Paris, France
New York Public Library
Walker Library, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Usa
Vennesla Library, Vennesla, Norway
Bibliothèque Mazarine, Paris, France
St John's College Library, Cambridge, Uk
The Library Of Congress, Washington, D.c., Usa
Technical University "gheorghe Asachi" Library, Iasi, Romania
The Great Library Of The Reformed Church College Of Sarospatak - Sarospatak, Hungary
The National Library Of China, Beijing, China
Archiepiscopal Library Kromeriz, Czech Republic
Harper Library, Usa
Palácio Nacional De Mafra, Portugal
Budapest University Of Technology And Economics (bme), Hungary
The Tripitaka Koreana Library, Haeinsa Temple, South Korea
The Forgotten Library
The Strahov Monastery Library, Prague
Abbey Library Of Saint Gallen Switzerland
National Library Of Chile, Santiago, Chile
Library Of Orthopedic Institute Rizzoli - Bologna
Trinity College Library - Dublin - Ireland
Book Mountain, Spijkenisse, Netherlands
State Library Of Victoria, Australia
# 50 Szte Klebelsberg Library, Szeged, Hungary
Girolamini's Library (naples, Italy)
Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge (uk)
Ottawa, Canada Parliamentary Library
Royal Site Of San Lorenzo De El Escorial Library, S. Lorenzo De El Escorial, Spain
Stockholm Public Library
El Ateneo. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Szabó Ervin Library, Budapest, Hungary
Library Of Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
Uris Library At Cornell University
The National Library Of Finland, Helsinki, Finland
Lello & Irmão Bookstore, Porto, Portugal
Jp Morgan Library, New York, Ny
Library Of The Honourable Society Of Lincoln's Inn, London Wc2, U.k.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
National Library Of Latvia, Riga
Canadian Library Of Parliament, Ottawa On Exterior
Strahov Monastery Library, Prague, Czech Republic
Jose Vasconcelos Library, Mexico
An Almost 180-degree Panoramic View Of The British Museum Reading Room.
Melk Abbey Library - Melk, Austria
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City
Central University Library Of Bucharest (biblioteca Centrală Universitară „carol I”)
Bapst Library, Boston College
Palafoxian Library Mexico Puebla
Library At The National Palace In Mafra, Portugal
Central University Library, Leuven, Belgium
Canadian Library Of Parliament, Ottawa On
The 19th Century National Library Of Greece In Athens
Biblioteca Do Palácio Nacional De Mafra, Mafra, Portugal
Biblioteca Angelica, Rome, Italy
Utrecht University City Center Library, Netherlands
Indianapolis Central Library, Indianapolis, Usa
Boston Public Library, Usa
Croatian National Library, Zagreb
Senate Library, Parliment, Ottawa,ontario, Canada
Black Diamond Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen - Denmark
Biblioteca Nazionale Di Napoli - Naples, Italy
Biblioteca Do Conento De Mafra, Portugal
University Of Michgan Law School Library
The 19th Century National Library Of Greece In Athens
Diocesan Library Of Eger, Eger, Hungary
Library Of Birmingham Uk
Biblioteca Do Palacio Nacional De Mafra, Mafra, Portugal
Carol I National College - Craiova - Mihail Strajan Library - October 18, 1836
University Of Helsinki Library, Helsinki, Finland
Cărturești Carusel Library, Bucharest, Romania
Reading Room, State Library Of Nsw, Sydney, Australia
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
San Diego Central Library
Anna Amalia Bibliothek, Weimar, Germany
El Escorial, Monastery And Tomb Of The Kings, Madrid, Spain
Melk Monastery Library
Stiftsbibliothek, St. Gallen, Switzerland - Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site
Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, Budapest, Hungary
University Library, Warsaw, Poland
Central Library, Manchester, Uk.
The John Ryland's Library, Manchester, Uk
Library Of Vilnius University - Mkic. Lithuania, Vilnius
Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Puebla, Mexico
Real Biblioteca Del Monasterio De El Escorial, Spain
National And University Library Of Slovenia, Ljubljana
Teleki Library, Marosvasarhely(targu Mures), Transylvania
National Library Of Latvia, Riga
Phillips Exeter Academy Library, U.s. (architect Louis Kahn)
Qods Razavi Public Library, Mashhad, Iran
El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Canadian Library Of Parliament
Central Library Of Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Lello Bookshop Porto
Copenhagen Main Library , Copenhagen, Denmark
Spain Library, Medellín, Colombia
The British Museum Reading Room - London, Uk
Andrew Dickson White Library At Cornell University
Vancouver Central Library, Vancouver , Canada, Has Nine-stories And Resembles The Colosseum
Seattle Central Library, Seattle, Washington, Usa
Kanazawa Umimirai Library, Kanazawa City, Japan
Cornell Law School Library, Usa
Qods Razavi Public Library, Mashhad, Iran
The Boston Public Library
British Library, London, Uk
Mitchell Library, Sydney Australia
Mitchell Library Reading Room
Vasconcelos Library In Mexico
Library Of Strahov Monastery, Prague, Czech Republic
El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Globe Atrium, Los Angeles Public Library (bertram Goodhue, 1926) - Photo: Kim Cooper, Esotouric
The Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico
Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, Usa
Public Library Escuelas Pias (madrid, España)
Biltmore Estate Library, Asheville, Nc, Usa
Boston Public Library
Anna Centenary Library Chennai, Tn ,india..
Seattle, Washington ,central Library
The British Library, London, United Kingdom
Reading Room Of The Picton Library, Liverpool
The 19th Century National Library Of Greece In Athens
Carolina Rediviva, The Library Of Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Bookseller Decorated
Biblioteca Nacional De España
Public Library Of New South Wales, Australia
Kaohsiung Main Public Library , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Declarada Memoria Del Mundo Por La Unesco, Puebla, México
Stuttgart Library
Coimbra University Joanine Library
Boston Public Library, Massachusetts Usa
Library At Alexandria
The Boston Public Library
University Library In Wien, Austria
Arabian Library In Scottsdale, Arizona, Usa
Seattle Public Library, Main Library
El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Detroit Public Library
Morgan Library, Nyc
City Centre Library, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Boston Public Library, Boston, Ma
Amazing libraries! Why the library in my city doesn't look like that. http://goo.gl/uoY3bd
Yes, I noticed that, too. I wonder what that tells us about how each culture views libraries and learning.
Load More Replies...Amazing libraries! Why the library in my city doesn't look like that. http://goo.gl/uoY3bd
Yes, I noticed that, too. I wonder what that tells us about how each culture views libraries and learning.
Load More Replies...