Top 10 Most Amazing Libraries In The World

The list of the top 10 most amazing libraries in the world are following ,

1. Central Library of National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City

Central Library of National Autonomous University of Mexico

Central Library of National Autonomous University of Mexico

 

Situated in the National Autonomous University of Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this library holds around 400,000 books. The external walls of the 10 story building are decorated with colored stones that depict the pre-Hispanic heritage of the country.

2. The Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

The Library of Trinity College

The Library of Trinity College

Home of famous manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow, the library came into existence with Trinity College in 1592. In 1801, the library was given the legal deposit right that allowed it to receive a copy of all works published in the Republic of Ireland. The Long Room of the building houses a collection of 14 busts from the famous Belgian sculptor Peter Scheemakers  II.

3. National Library of France, Paris

National Library of France

National Library of France

Echoing the Ottoman style of architecture and built by one of the finest architects of the 19th century, Pierre-François-Henri Labrouste, the main attraction of the building is its majestic reading room with over 30 million items. The room’s ceiling is in the form of a series of pendentive, terra cotta domes, supported by 16 arboreal iron pillars.

4. Vennesla Library and Culture House, Norway

Vennesla Library and Culture House

Vennesla Library and Culture House

Built in 2011, the complex serves residents of the Vennesla Municipality. The wooden structure of the building is made to resemble the skeleton of a whale. The unique design of the building has received several accolades, including the Norwegian state prize for Good Practice in Housing Design Statens byggeskikkpris in 2012.

5. Library in Melk Abbey, Austria

Library in Melk Abbey

Library in Melk Abbey

The library came into existence after Leopold II gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach in 1089. The monks converted it into a monastic school and a library. The building is famous for housing medieval manuscripts and its ornate ceiling fresco, which was created by Austrian painter Paul Troger.

6. Cottbus Technical University Library, Germany

Cottbus Technical University Library

Cottbus Technical University Library

Designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in Cottbus, the library’s facade is made of glazed glasses with a repetitive pattern of text and images; the amoeba like shape depicts movement. The reading room is painted gray and white to create a serene atmosphere for readers, while the book storage area, ceilings and shelves are colored in vibrant hues of pink and green.

7. Peckham Library, London, England

Peckham Library

Peckham Library

 

Designed by Alsop and Störmer, the library opened to the public in 2000. The contemporary design of the building resembling an inverted L shape won the Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2000. The aim of the shape was to create a public space on the ground and remove the quiet reading space from the hustle and bustle of the crowd below.

8. Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart, Germany

Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart

Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart

Unlike other libraries that boast big pillars and multicolored interiors, the Stuttgart City Library offers pristine white interiors. It opened its doors to the public in 2011, and its most unique feature is the reading room that is shaped like an inverted pyramid. The library offers over a million books and media, and also houses a section called Library for Insomniacs, in which books are available all night long.

9. The Library of Birmingham, England

The Library of Birmingham

The Library of Birmingham

Opened in 2013, it is the largest public library in the country and the largest public culture space in Europe. The Boulton and Watt archives the Bournville Village Trust Archive the Charles Parker Archive and the Parker collection of children’s books are some of its significant collections.

10. Seattle Central Library, Washington, US

Seattle Central Library

Seattle Central Library

With a facade of glass and metal, the 11-story library can accommodate over 1.4 million books. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the library opened in 2004, winning praise from all over, along with its inclusion in the American Institute of Architects’ list of America’s 150 Favorite Structures in 2007.

Leave a Reply