AWESOME LIBRARIES

TRINITY COLLEGE LIBRARY, IRELAND.

Aside from being absolutely stunning,

with two story dark wooden arches,

this is also the largest library in all of Ireland.

BRISTOL CENTRAL LIBRARY, ENGLAND.

This library, completed in 1906, is interesting because of its

unique combination of architectural styles. The front exterior

was designed in Tudor Revival and Modern Movement styles

in order to allow it to harmonize with the next-door Abbey Gatehouse.

It was built on a slope, and the front of the building is only three

stories tall, but thanks to the two basement levels built into the hill,

the back of the building has five stories. Inside, the design is

mostly Classical, featuring ample arches, marble flooring and it has

a stunning turquoise glass mosaic at the entrance hall.

 CODRINGTON LIBRARY, ENGLAND.

The Codrington Library of Oxford University was completed in

1751 and has been used by scholars ever since. 

 BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE, FRANCE.

The National Library of France has expanded greatly

since new buildings were added to house the collection in 1988.

Even though the old buildings on the Rue de Richelieu are still in

use and are stunning as well. These buildings were completed in

1868 and by 1896 the library was the largest book repository

in the world, although that record has since been taken from it.

THE LIBRARY OF EL ESCORIAL, SPAIN.

This library is located in the Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de

El Escorial, the historical residence of the king of Spain.

Phillip II was responsible for adding the library and most of the

books originally held within. Now the library is a World Heritage Site

and it holds more than 40,000 volumes.

 BIBLIOTECA GERAL, UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA,

PORTUGAL.

The General Library of the University of Coimbra consists

of two buildings: the New Building which was built in

1962, and the Joanina Library built in 1725.

The Joanina Library is adorned in a Baroque décor and houses

the library’s volumes that date from before 1800.

HANDELINGENKAMER, NETHERLANDS.

The library of the Dutch Parliament contains every record of

parliamentary hearings and discussions. Because it was built

before electric lighting was invented it has made the storage

of the books a lot safer.  The building was constructed with a

enormous leaded glass dome in the ceiling to allow in light

and minimize the need for candles and gas lamps inside

the library.

DELFT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY,

NETHERLANDS.

The Delft University of Technology library with its enormous

skylight in the ceiling that becomes a steel cone after escaping

the confines of the library and with its eco-friendly grass-covered

roof, the library is both stunning and totally modern.

ABBEY LIBRARY OF ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND.

This beautiful library is not only the oldest in Switzerland,

but one of the oldest and most important monastery libraries in

the world, holding over 160,000 volumes many of which date back

as far as the 8th century. The Rococo-styled library is often

considered one of the most perfect libraries in the world and

has earned the Abbey recognition as a World Heritage Site.