I’ve always loved libraries. Even as a young boy I was a regular visitor to our local library where the world opened up to me through books and reading. Many years later I look back on those early reading experiences and I reflect on how they influenced some of my adventures around the world.
I hope you love libraries too. Here are twenty of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
Important Note: these are not my photos and credits are provided with a mouseover of each image.
1. Royal Monastery Library of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain
2. Trinity College Library, Dublin
3. Admont Abbey Library, Austria
Photo Credit: “Austria – Admont Abbey Library – 1307” by © Jorge Royan / http://www.royan.com.ar. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
4. The Gothic Study in Hearst Castle on the Central Coast of California, USA
Photo Credit: Stuck in Customs
5. George Peabody Library at John Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
6. Library of Congress, USA
7. The Codrington Library, All Souls College, England
8. Morgan Library, New York, USA
9. The State Library of New South Wales, Australia
10. Royal Danish Library
11. Palafoxiana Library, Mexico
12. New York City Public Library, USA
13. Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France
14. The Theological Hall of the Strahov Monastery in Prague, Czech Republic
15. Austrian National Library, Austria
16. Tripitaka Koreana, Korea
A collection of the Tripitaka (Buddhist scriptures) carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century.
17. Mortlock Wing of the State Library of South Australia
18. Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve, Paris, France
19. Stockholm Public Library, Sweden
20. Library of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada
I am sure there are many more beautiful libraries that I have missed in this list. Please let me know in the comments section below. Also. in this age of the Internet and ebooks, do you still visit libraries?
Beautiful photos of beautiful libraries! My favorite library belonged to Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, England.
When in a new city, libraries are the first places I visit.
Some of my favorite libraries are the individual, small neighborhood libraries in larger cities. Like in Seattle, where each library reflects the culture of the community. The Ballard and Fremont libraries are among my favorites.
Many thanks Gary.
Thanks for your feedback, Alma.
What a great way to start out getting to know a city. Thanks for sharing, Sonya.
Beautiful libraries and photographs
thank u for the opportunity to view the magnificent libraries of the world. I wish to forward the file to the readers of Katha Kshetre journal. I do not hope to see anyone of them in my life. libraries of Pontifical seminary at Aluva helped me to become a creative writer. Jk