Not only are these libraries places of knowledge for everyone, they are also symbols of culture, knowledge and architectural masterpieces.
“The only thing you absolutely must know is where the library is” – this famous quote by Albert Einstein clearly reflects the importance of libraries in our lives. Here are 9 magnificent libraries around the world .
George Peabody Library, USA
The George Peabody Library is a magnificent library in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. In 1857, philanthropist George Peabody donated the library to the citizens of Baltimore.
Today, the library has a total collection of more than 300,000 items, covering various topics such as architecture, geography, exploration , American literature, British and American history, British art, etc. Among them, there are a large number of books that have been kept from the 18th to the 20th century.
The George Peabody Library is also known for its impressive architectural design. The building was designed by architect Edmund G. Lind. Decorative balconies made of cast iron, ceilings reaching up to 60 feet high, and dotted with gilded columns give the place a regal beauty.
New York Public Library, USA
The New York Public Library is the fourth largest library in the world. The library has a collection of 53 million items with 60,000 manuscripts, 800,000 digital images, 431,000 maps, and 16,000 atlases.
The New York Public Library still holds the original letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 during his first voyage, the letter announcing the great explorer's discovery of the New World.
Founded in 1911, the magnificent New York Public Library is also the largest marble building in the United States. Countless blocks of marble were used to construct this massive building. The grand entrance of the library features two impressive lion statues and bears the inscription “Patience and Courage.”
There are also six sculptures by American sculptor Paul Wayland Bartlett. Each represents philosophy, poetry, drama, history, religion, and romance. The main lobby, called “Astro Hall,” features decorative lighting and a beautiful ceiling. The library’s reading rooms also feature impressive large arched windows.
Stockholm Public Library, Sweden
The Stockholm Public Library is one of the famous landmarks of Stockholm. Founded in 1928, this wonderful library was designed by architect Erik Gunnar Asplund. It houses a collection of 2 million books, 2.4 million audio tapes, … in more than 100 different languages.
The Stockholm Public Library is the first public library in Sweden to allow visitors to access books for free without the need for assistance from library staff. All the furniture in the rooms is designed for its specific location and purpose. The library building also has many windows inside to let in natural light.
Real Gabinete Spanish Library of Leitura, Brazil
The Real Gabinete Spanish de Leitura Library in downtown Rio de Janeiro is also known as the Portuguese Royal English Reading Room. The library has the second largest collection of Portuguese literature in the world. It was founded in 1837 by Portuguese immigrants with the aim of promoting the popularity of Portuguese literature in the new colony.
The Portuguese Reading Room holds 350,000 works from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Many of these provide invaluable information about Portuguese culture and history. The library also has a small collection of sculptures, coins and paintings.
Apart from its rich collection, the Portuguese Reading Room is also notable for its stunning architectural beauty. The Portuguese Gothic style was used to build this library. Visitors can see four spectacular sculptures at the entrance of the library. These sculptures depict four great Portuguese figures including Vasco da Gama, Pedro Alvares Cabral, Luis de Camoes and Infante Henry.
Wooden bookshelves and decorative doors also give a unique look to the library. The library reading room has a beautiful skylight structure made of iron and attractive chandeliers.
State Library of Victoria, Australia
The State Library of Victoria is a cultural icon of the state of Victoria, Australia. The library has a total of 2.2 million items. Importantly, it includes many important items such as magazines and paintings that explain the history and culture of Victoria.
The library's collection also includes hundreds of thousands of audio files, maps, photographs, newspapers and manuscripts. In particular, the diary of the famous Austrian explorer John Batman and the armour of the Austrian bushranger Ned Kelly are among the most important historical documents in the State Library of Victoria's collection.
The library also offers excellent art and exhibitions for visitors. The State Library of Victoria galleries display important artefacts, paintings, manuscripts and maps. These priceless items tell the story of Victoria at different stages of its history.
In addition to its vast collection, the State Library of Victoria is also known for its impressive architectural design, dome reading room, seminar rooms and conference centre. The dome reading room or La Trobe Reading Room is the most important attraction of the library. It has an octagonal design and can accommodate 600 readers at a time.
Library of Congress , United States
The Library of Congress in Washington, DC is the largest library in the world, both in terms of shelf space and number of books. The library holds 158 million items. The Library of Congress' vast collection includes 33 million books, 13.5 million photographs, 98 million manuscripts, 6.7 million pieces of music, 5.5 million maps, and 3.5 million recordings. The collection is also continually being expanded every year.
The Library of Congress was established in 1800 as part of the new Congress building. In 1814, the library was destroyed by the British army. Later, former US President Thomas Jefferson donated $24,000 and 6,487 books to restore the library.
However, only members of the US Congress and their staff are allowed to access the library’s vast collection. However, interested readers can also read e-books uploaded on the library’s official website. In addition to having the largest collection of books, the Library of Congress is also known for its beautiful and elaborate architectural design.
Trinity College Dublin Library, Ireland
With a collection of over 6 million printed items, Trinity College Dublin Library is the largest library in Ireland. The library has the privilege of receiving locally published materials free of charge. Today, the library has a large collection of journals, manuscripts, audio files, maps and e-books.
The main room, 65m long and 13m wide, is the main attraction of Trinity College Dublin Library. The room is decorated with a series of marble busts of famous writers and philosophers. Today, the Long Room contains over 200,000 old books from the library. It is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland.
Admont Abbey Library, Austria
The Admont Abbey Library is the largest monastic library in the world. It is part of the Admont Abbey in the town of Admont in the Austrian state of Styria. The Admont Library is 70m long and 14m wide, and has seven domes. They represent different stages of new information discovery and divine revelation.
The library also includes some impressive sculptures. The sculptures were created by the famous Irish sculptor Josef Stammer. The overall design and art in this library represents enlightenment.
The Admont Abbey Library has a collection of 200,000 volumes, many of which were written before the 16th century in Europe. In addition to its priceless collection, the Admont Abbey Library is internationally renowned for its art and architecture.
National Library of France, France
The National Library of France is the third largest library in Europe. It was founded in 1461. It was moved to a magnificent new building in 1995.
The new building of the National Library of France has four 24-storey L-shaped towers located at the corners of a large area. They have a unique structure that resembles open books. In the middle of the buildings is a magnificent garden.
It can accommodate 1,600 readers at a time. There are also reading areas reserved for researchers. Inside the library, there are many transparent glass panels, providing natural light for the reading rooms.
The library has a total of 40 million items, including 14 million books and publications, 10 million historical documents, 5,000 Greek manuscripts, and hundreds of thousands of images and maps. The library's collection also grows with 150,000 new publications added each year.
Pham Kieu (According to 24h, January 22, 2023)
Source
Comment (0)