62 of the World's Most Beautiful

Libraries

62 of the World's Most Beautiful

Libraries
1. Library of Congress

Library of congress is in Washington DC, USA. It was

founded in 1800. This library stocks over 30 million books.
Library of congress was featured in a film National
Treasure 2.
2. National Library of China
National Library of China is in Beijing, China. It was founded in 1909. This
library stocks over 22 million books.

3. Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences is in St. Petersburg, Russia. It
was founded in 1714. This library stocks over 20 million books.

4. National Library of Canada

National Library of Canada is in Ottawa, Canada. It was founded in 1953.
This library stocks over 18.8 million books.

5. German National Library

German National Library is in Frankfurt, Germany. It was founded in 1990.
This library stocks over 18.5 million books.

6. British Library
British Library is in London, England. It was founded in 1753. This library
stocks over 16 million books.

7. Institute for Scientific Information Russian Academy of Sciences

Institute for Scientific Information Russian Academy of Sciences is in
Moscow, Russia. It was founded in 1969. This library stocks over 13.5
million books.

8. Harvard University Library

Harvard University Library is in Cambridge, MA, USA. It was founded in
1638. This library stocks over 13.1 million books.

9. Vernadsky National Scientific Library of Ukraine

Vernadsky National Scientific Library of Ukraine is in Kiev, Ukraine. It was
founded in 1919. This library stocks over 13 million books.

10. New York Public Library

New York Public Library is in New York City, NY, USA. It was founded in
1895. This library stocks over 11 million books.

For the last couple years, Jill Harness has been rounding up the world's most beautiful
libraries by continent. Here they are all in one place, in no particular order.

1. Trinity College Library, Ireland

Image courtesy of Irish Welcome Tours' Flickr stream.

Aside from being absolutely gorgeous, with two story dark wooden arches, this is also the
largest library in all of Ireland. It serves as the countrys copyright library, where a copy of
all new books and periodicals must be sent when they apply for copyright protection. The
library is also home to the famous Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript created by
Celtic monks around the year 800.

2. Bristol Central Library, England

Image courtesy of Steve Cadman's Flickr stream.

This library, completed in 1906, is fascinating for 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 a stunning turquoise glass mosaic at
the entrance hall.

3. Codrington Library, England

Images courtesy of Miguel Bernas' and Beth Hoffman's Flickr streams.

The Codrington Library of Oxford University was completed in 1751 and has been used by
scholars ever since. In the late 1990s, the building underwent a massive renovation in order
to provide better protection for the books and to make the library more user friendly with
better wiring and some new electronic work stations.

4. Bibliotheque Nationale de France, France

Image courtesy of Wikipedia user Zubro.

The National Library of France has expanded greatly since new buildings were added to
house the collection in 1988. Even so, the old buildings on the Rue de Richelieu are still in
use, and are utterly gorgeous 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.

5. The Library of El Escorial, Spain

Image courtesy of Jose Maria Cuellar's Flickr stream.

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. The vaulted ceilings were painted with gorgeous frescoes,
each representing one of the seven liberal arts: rhetoric, dialectic, music, grammar,
arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. These days, the library is a World Heritage Site, and it
holds more than 40,000 volumes.

6. Biblioteca Geral, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Images courtesy of Taco Ekkel's and Mick L's Flickr streams.

The General Library of the University of Coimbra consists of two buildings: the New
Building built in 1962, and the Joanina
Library built in 1725. The Joanina Library is
adorned with Baroque dcor and houses the
librarys volumes that date from before 1800.

7. Handelingenkamer,
Netherlands

Image courtesy of Jackie Kever's Flickr

stream.
The library of the Dutch Parliament contains
every record of parliamentary hearings and
discussions. Because it was built before
electric lighting made the storage of books a
lot safer, the building was constructed with a
massive leaded glass dome in the ceiling to
allow in light and minimize the need for
candles and gas lamps inside the library.

8. Delft University of Technology Library, Netherlands

Images courtesy of Robert Lochner's and Thomas Guignard's Flickr streams.

While modern architecture can often be fascinating, it rarely stands up to more classical
designs in terms of beauty. The Delft University of Technology library is a rare exception.
With a massive skylight in the ceiling that becomes a steel cone after escaping the confines
of the library, and an eco-friendly grass-covered roof, the library is both stunning and
totally modern.

9. Abbey Library of St. Gallen, Switzerland

Image courtesy of Wikipedia user Stibiwiki.

This lovely 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.

10. Admont Abbey Library, Austria

Built in 1776, the Admont Abbey Library is the largest monastery library in the world. The
ceiling is adorned with frescoes depicting the stages of human knowledge up until the
Divine Revelation. The entire design reflects the ideals and values of the Enlightenment.

11. Melk Monastery Library, Austria

The Baroque-styled abbey and the library within were completed in 1736 based on designs
by Jakob Prandtauer. The library includes a world-famous collection of musical
manuscripts and features stunning frescoes by artist Paul Troger.

12. Austrian National Library, Austria

Images courtesy of Craig Elliot's and Jessica Curtin's Flickr streams.

Austrias largest library is located in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna and houses over 7.4
million items in its collections. The library was completed in 1723 and features sculptures
by Lorenzo Mattielli and Peter Strudel and frescoes by Daniel Gran.

13. Wiblingen Monastery Library, Germany

Image courtesy of volzotan's Flickr stream.

This library, completed in 1744, was modeled in the Baroque style after the Austrian
National Library, but it is by no means just a cheap imitation of the original, and it certainly
stands on its own. Just outside the library there is an inscription reading In quo omnes
thesauri sapientiae et scientiae, which translates to In which are stored all treasures of
knowledge and science.

14. Strahov Monastery Library, Czech Republic

Image courtesy
of Claudia Dias' Flickr
stream.
This impressive library
collection contains over
200,000 volumes,
including just about
every important title
printed in central Europe
by the end of the 18th
century. And as if the
gorgeous dcor and
impressive book
collection werent
impressive enough on
their own, the library
also has a favorite feature of many geeks - two secret passageways hidden by bookshelves
and opened with fake books.

15. Clementinum National Library, Czech Republic

Image courtesy of Bruno
Delzant's Flickr stream.
The series of buildings
that make up this
National Library owe
their inception to an
11th century chapel
dedicated to Saint
Clement (hence the
name). The National
Library itself was
founded in 1781,
constructed in a
Baroque style, and has
served as a copyright library since 1782. The collection now includes historical examples of
Czech literature, special materials relating to Tycho Brahe, and a unique collection of
Mozarts personal effects.

16. The Royal Portuguese Reading Room, Brazil

Images courtesy of Luciano Joaquim's and Sebastian R.'s Flickr streams.

The Real Gabinete Portugus de Leitura in Rio de Janeiro holds more Portuguese works
than anywhere else outside of Portugal, including a number of rare titles. Completed in
1887, the building's design is based on the Gothic-renaissance style that was popular at the

time of the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. Inside the library are both a stunning
chandelier and a gorgeous iron skylight that was the first of its kind in the country.

17. The National Library of Brazil

Image courtesy
of Patricia
Valeria's and Yuken
Chen's Flickr
streams.
Another amazing
library of Rio, the
National Library of
Brazil was
constructed back in
1810 and has since
become the largest
library in Latin
America and the 7th
largest in the world.
As a copyright
library, publishers have been required to send over one copy of every title they've published
since 1907, pushing the librarys collection to over 9 million items, including a number of
rare books and an extensive collection of over 21,500 photos all dating from before 1890.

18. The National Library of Chile

Image courtesy of Ejercito de Chile's Flickr stream.

Featuring a similar style to the National Library of Brazil, this beautiful building was
designed in 1913 and completed in 1925 with a neoclassical design meant to commemorate
the countrys centenary anniversary. Aside from housing the National Library, the building
serves as headquarters to the countrys National Archives.

19. The Library of the San Francisco Monastery, Peru

Images courtesy of Sierra Michels Slettvet's and dgphilli's Flickr streams.

The library in Limas San Francisco Monastery is one of the oldest and most beautiful on
the continent. The stunning convent was completed in 1672, with renovations and
improvements continuing up until 1729. The 25,000 volumes contained therein are
extremely rare, chronicling a massive variety of knowledge dating from the fifteenth
through the eighteenth centuries.

20. Home of Peruvian Literature, Peru

Image courtesy of Chimi Fotos' Flickr stream.

If you think the architecture of this building looks familiar, thats because it was a
commonly used design for train stations around the early 1900s. As for why this library
looks like a train station, well, thats simpleit used to be one. In fact, it wasnt converted
into a library until 2009. In an effort to get more of the countrys citizens to read and to
support the countrys artists and writers, the library features over 20,000 works, mostly
written by or about native Peruvians.

21. Public Library of Lima, Peru

Image courtesy of The Librarian is In.

The previous home to the National Library of Peru, the Public Library of Lima was
completed in the 1940s with a small addition completed in 1974. It's been declared a
historical monument by the countrys National Institute of Culture. The main gallery
features marble floors and stairs, sculptures of the librarys founders, and gorgeous high
ceilings.

22. National Library, Costa Rica

Images courtesy of The National Library System of Costa Rica and Alex Watkins' Flickr
stream.
With a massive upside-down arch above a glass window and concrete levels sandwiching a
fragile-looking glass central story, the National Library of Costa Rica is quite striking. It
still appears modern despite being over 40 years old. Unfortunately, the location has been
subject to a number of earthquakes, leading to a number of closures over the years.

23. Virgilio Barco Library, Colombia

Images courtesy of elroquero's and Colombia Travel's Flickr streams.

If you are a fan of modern architectural design, then youll really love what Colombia has
created in the last decade or so. Famed architect Rogelio Salmona designed this library,
completed in 2001. Featuring red brick walls, blue water pools and green lawns, this
creative design looks like a maze of colors housing a labyrinth of books inside.

24. Spanish Park Library, Colombia

Images courtesy of Daniel Echeverri's and dfinnecy's Flickr streams.

The Parque Biblioteca Espaa stands out from its native Santo Domingo more than any
other library on this list. Thats because the striking modernist design of its three boulderlike structures stands in stark contrast to the simple homes of the neighborhood around
them. The architect designed the building, specifically its odd windows, as a way to help the
impoverished community imagine bigger and better things, says architect Giancarlo
Mazzanti. We wanted to take people from this poor community into another place and
change their reality.

25. EPM Library, Colombia

Images courtesy of Guia de Viajes Oficial de Medellin's and Biblioteca EPM's Flickr
streams.
Designed like an upside-down pyramid, the EPM library, completed in 2005, may be a
unique architectural feat, but its best-known feature remains the odd forest of white
columns located just outside. Even so, the 107,000 square foot interior is quite beautiful,
particularly the strikingly angled walls.

26. Villanueva Public Library, Colombia

Images courtesy of Nicolas Cabrera via Dezeen.

Perhaps the most famous of Colombias new libraries is the Villanueva Public Library,
which was constructed using not only locally sourced materials, but also by the people of
the village. Stones were gathered from nearby rivers and sustainable wood from nearby
forests, and local people were trained to help construct the building. The design, created by

four nearby college students, focuses on natural ventilation and plenty of shade to keep the
interior nice and cool. All of these cost-cutting measures went a long way in helping a truly
impoverished area secure a much-needed library.

27. Central Library of Vancouver, Canada

Images courtesy of Evan Leeson's and David J. Laporte's Flickr stream.

Many modern building designs are based on historical icons, but few of these designs focus
on the ruins rather than the original. The Central Library of Vancouver is an exception.
Based on the Roman Coliseum, this massive building takes up one full city block and
features not only a library with 1.3 million reference materials, but also retail shops,
restaurants, a parking structure, office buildings and a rooftop garden.

28. Library of Parliament, Canada

Images courtesy of Wikipedia users Wladyslaw and Alejandro Erickson.

The Library of Parliament was once part of the citys original Parliamentary headquarters
constructed in 1876. The building had been under construction for ten years before it was
revealed that the builders didnt know how to create a domed roof as seen in the plans. To
get around this issue, the Tomas Fairbairn Engineering Company of England was
commissioned to create a pre-fabricated dome. As a result, the building had the distinction
of being the first building in North America to have a wrought iron roof. The unique Gothic
building is so iconic that today it is even featured on the Canadian ten-dollar bill.

29. Library of Congress, USA

Images courtesy of NCinDC's and BamaLawDog's Flickr streams.

The Library of Congress, a personal favorite, is the largest library in the entire world as
ranked by both shelf space and number of books. Among its several buildings, the oldest is
the Thomas Jefferson Building, which just might be the most beautiful structure in the
library system. Completed in 1897, the library's neoclassical style features some of the most
intricate interiors of any building in the U.S., including murals and sculptures from a variety

of classically-trained American artists. Interestingly, the buildings exterior was even more
lavish than it is now, as it was originally gilded, but this was criticized as it was believed to
draw attention away from the Capitol Building. These days, the roof consists merely of
copper that has aged to a sea green shade.

30. Stephen A. Schwarzman Library, USA

Images courtesy of melanzane1013's Flickr stream and Wikipedia user Diliff.

You might recognize this National Historical Landmark, better known simply as the New
York Public Library, by the two stone lions guarding the building (known as either Lord
Astor and Lady Lenox or Patience and Fortitude). Inside, the wooden shelves, frescoed
ceilings and grand chandeliers give the entire building an old-world feel. Completed in
1911, the library featured more than 75 miles of shelves when it was first opened. The
collection still managed to grow too large for its home by 1970, so the library was expanded
by adding an underground area that extends under nearby Bryant Park.

31. Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library in Vassar

College, USA

Images courtesy of mebrett's Flickr stream and Wikipedia user noteremote.

This massive Gothic structure consists of three wings and a central tower, and now houses
around a million books, 7500 periodicals, and a massive microfilm and microfiche
collection. While the main tower is quite striking, the most famous part of the library is the
enormous stained glass window in the West Wing showing Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first
woman to earn a doctorate in Europe, receiving her degree from the University of Padua.

32. Jay Walker's Private Library, USA

Images courtesy of Aaron "tango" Tang's Flickr stream.

Priceline.com founder Jay Walker's gorgeous wooden library, filled with an array of
historical and pop culture artifacts, has been labeled by Wired as "the most amazing library
in the world. As if the gorgeous etched glass, labyrinthine design and multiple stories of
book shelves werent impressive enough, the collection of rarities stored in the library is
completely mesmerizing. Between books bound in rubies, a Sputnik, a chandelier from Die
Another Day, and a list of plague mortalities from 1665, visitors to the private library might
just have a hard time leaving.

33. Harold Washington Library, USA

Images courtesy of Douglas Kaye and clarkmaxwell's Flickr stream.

This is one of my favorite modern library designs as it takes new construction techniques
and applies them to neoclassical building styles. The result is a vintage look with a modern
twist. The red brick base perfectly balances the glass rooftop adorned with seven massive
aluminum adornments. Best of all, the designers took their inspiration from other famous
Chicago buildings, ensuring the whole structure fits in perfectly with its surroundings.

34. Beinecke Rare Book Library in Yale University, USA

Images courtesy of Henry Trotter and Lauren Manning.

From the outside, this windowless monstrosity really isnt much to look at, but the interior
of this Yale library is quite impressive and undeniably unique with its beautiful marble
walls. The library is now the largest building in the world designed exclusively for the
protection of rare books and manuscripts. And it has quite the collection to protect, as the
building is home to one of 48 known copies of the Gutenberg Bible, ancient papyri, rare
maps, medieval manuscripts, early American newspapers and more.

35. Jos Vasconcelos Library, Mexico

Images courtesy of CliNKer's and vladimix's Flickr streams.

Nicknamed the megalibrary by the Mexican press, this giant library takes up a whopping
409,000 square feet, making it large enough to dwarf the painted gray whale skeleton
displayed inside the main hallway. Outside of the library is an impressive botanical garden
that protects the building from the loud city streets, providing a moat for this castle of
knowledge. Inside, over 500,000 books are displayed on glass shelves hanging from the five
stories of the building. The end result is as striking as it is stunning.

36. Palafoxiana Library, Mexico

Images courtesy of Carlos Enrique Lopez C's and David Cabrera's Flickr streams.
Established in 1646, this Puebla library was the first public library in Mexico; some even
argue that it was the first library in the Americas. It is now listed in UNESCOs Memory of
the World Register and its 41,000 books and manuscripts include an array of rare and
antique titles.

37. The Armstrong-Browning Library at Baylor University, USA

Image courtesy of Texas Tongs' Flickr stream.

Philanthropist Dr. A.J. Armstrong wanted to create the most beautiful building in Texas,
and the end result was this 3-story, Italian Renaissance-styled masterpiece adorned with 62
stained glass windows, massive marble columns and intricate ceiling designs. Armstrong
justified the expense by pointing out that the compelling beauty of the building might be
able to inspire someone enough that "if we by that means give the world another Dante,
another Shakespeare, another Browning, we shall count the cost a bargain."

38. Morgan Library, USA

Image courtesy of Rob Shenk's Flickr stream.

Constructed in 1906, this amazing New York
landmark was originally built as the personal
library and museum space for financier Pierpont
Morgans impressive collection of rare books,
manuscripts, drawings, artifacts and prints. After
Pierponts death, his grandson, J.P. Morgan, Jr.,
opened the library to the public in 1924.

39. Boston Public Library, USA

Image courtesy of koalie's Flickr stream.

Talk about old school: The Boston Public library,
established in 1848, was the first municipal
library in all of the U.S. Its first location was a
small Massachusetts schoolhouse, but it had to expand almost immediately. In 1895, the
current building, called a palace for the people by architect Charles Follen McKim, was
completed in Copley Square. In 1972, the building was expanded, and it now contains over
8.9 million books, a number of rare manuscripts, maps, musical scores, and prints. It even
has first edition folios from Shakespeare and original music scores by Mozart.

40. Braddock Carnegie Library, USA

Image courtesy of macwagen's Flickr
stream.
The first Carnegie library in the U.S.,
this library was designed in an eclectic
medieval style by William Halsey Wood
and opened in Pennsylvania in 1889.
Only 5 years later, it received a
Romanesque-styled addition, doubling
the size of the building. At the time, it
featured a variety of entertainment
options, including billiards tables on the
first floor, a music hall, a gymnasium,
and a swimming pool. Additionally, it
held a bathhouse in the basement so mill
workers could take a shower before
accessing the facilities. These days, the
bathhouse is a pottery studio, but the
tiled floors and walls remain.

41. Indianapolis Public Library, USA

Image courtesy of sergemelki's Flickr stream.

This Indiana library manages to balance old and new influences in a refreshingly unique
manner. The original building, completed in 1917, is located in the front of the complex,
while a massive, modernized addition from 2007 sits in the background. The first building
was designed in the Greek Doric style and is often called one of the most outstanding

architectural libraries in the U.S. The addition is just about as modern as can be, with glass
and wood paneling throughout the building, and the 6-story, 293,000 square foot tower
provides even more space for books and reading rooms.

42. Los Angeles Central Library, USA

Image courtesy of hollywoodsmile78's Flickr stream.

Like the Indianapolis Public Library, the Central Library of Los Angeles features a striking
balance between old and new architecture. The original library building was completed in
1926 and featured influences from ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean Revival
architecture, including pyramids and mosaics. A 1993 renovation added a new wing with
Modernist and Beaux-Arts influences, including an eight story atrium and more storage
space for the museums ever-growing collection. These days, the library is the third largest
public library in the U.S. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

43. Hearst Castle Gothic Study, USA

Image courtesy of Stuck in Customs' Flickr stream.

Hearst Castle is one of the most famous buildings in California, but most tour groups miss
the opportunity to explore the second story of the building, which includes a massive guest
library and a cozier gothic library and study. This room also played a vital role in Hearsts
life, as the mogul preferred to use this room as his executive board room, doing business
here whenever possible, .

44. Skywalker Ranch Library,

USA

Image courtesy of Michael Heilemann's Flickr

stream.
If you ever happen to get access to California's
Skywalker Ranch, make sure you get a chance
to look at the library, which is crowned with a
40-foot stained glass dome that allows
employees and guests of Lucas Studios to enjoy
their reading in natural light.

45. Suzzallo Library of the University of Washington, USA

Image courtesy of Curtis Cronn's Flickr

stream.
This Collegiate Gothic building was
completed in 1923 and among its many
impressive details are 18 terra-cotta
figures set atop the buttresses featuring
academic heroes such as Louis Pasteur,
Dante, Shakespeare, Plato, Benjamin
Franklin, Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo da
Vinci, Galileo, Gutenberg, Beethoven,
Darwin, and more. Inside, a series of
shields depict the coats of arms from
many top universities around the world,
including Yale, Oxford, Stanford and
Uppsala. While the library is home to
many rare volumes, the most famous
item in its collection is one of the
worlds largest, a photo book of Bhutan
by Michael Hawley. Library staff turn
the pages about once a month so
interested viewers can slowly enjoy the
entire work from front to back
assuming they visit regularly.

46. Fisher Fine Arts Library of the University of Pennsylvania,

USA

Image courtesy of jeffhartge's Flickr stream.

In 1888, most architects were focused on Romanesque styles built with marble and granite.
But this librarys architect, Frank Furness, wanted the building to reflect the architectural
style of Philadelphias many red brick factories. Throughout the following years it received
a number of additions and alterations and finally, in 1962, most of the schools collection
was moved to a new location and the former main building became the home to the fine arts
library.

47. David Sassoon Library, India

Images courtesy of Flickr users bookchen and Carol Mitchell.

Completed in 1870, the David Sassoon Library is one of only 145 monuments protected by
Indias government, and the oldest library in Mumbai. One of its most famous features is
the beautiful garden in the backa rare sight in the commercial area in which it is
located.The library and reading room were originally intended to be an entire institute
dedicated to mechanics, science and technology, but funding ran short. The Sassoon

Mechanics Institute was renamed the David Sassoon Library and Reading Room after its
primary donor.

48. Raza Library, India

The Raza Library in Rampur was completed in 1904, and was once part of a palace. While
many of the royal familys other properties have been left to crumble, the library is still
protected by the Indian governmentanother one of the countrys few protected
monuments. The royal family started gathering works for the library way back in 1774.
Included in their collection are 17,000 rare manuscripts, 205 hand-written palm leaves and
5000 miniature paintings.

49. The National Library of China

Image courtesy of Flickr user Dennis Deng

If youre looking for info on Chinas ancient history, the National Library of Chinas old
buildings might be a good place to start. They serve as the home to a vast array of historical
and ancient books and manuscriptseven inscribed tortoise shells. And though the
buildings themselves are designed in a traditional Chinese style, they were only completed
in 1987.

50. The Tianyi Pavilion Library, China

Images courtesy of What's On Ningbo.

If you're looking for real traditional Chinese architecture, youll need to leave Beijing and
head over to Ningbo Cityhome to the oldest private library in Asia. Built in 1560 by a
retired imperial minister, Tianyi Pavilion Library is the third oldest private library in the
world. As you might expect, the collection is rather impressive: 300,000 ancient books,
including a number of woodcut and handwritten titles.

51. National Library of Bhutan

Image courtesy of Wikipedia user Christopher J. Flynn.

Completed in 1984, the National Library of Bhutan is also technically a Buddhist temple,
and the structure is intended to integrate the three aspects of Buddha and his teachings: the
physical represented by statues and paintings, the speech represented by books and printing
blocks, and the heart represented by the eight small bowls found on the shrine on the first
floor. The library is home to about 6100 Tibetan and Bhutanese books, manuscripts and
xylographs, and about 9000 printing boards and wood printing blocks. While the collection
isnt massive, it is one of the largest collections of Buddhist literature in the world.

52. Grand Peoples Study House, North Korea

Images courtesy of Flickr users John Pavelka and gadgetdan.

The Study House was completed 1982 in honor of Kim Il-Sungs 70th birthday and features
an amazing 600 rooms with capacity for 30 million books. Of course, being housed in North
Korea, foreign publications are only available with special permission, so it will probably
be a while before all the shelves are full.

53. Nakanoshima Library, Japan

Image courtesy Flickr users hetgallery of and muzina_shanghai.

This Neo-Baroque design might not be something youd
immediately associate with Japan, but the 1904 Nakanoshima
Library actually fits in quite well in Osaka, as the area has quite
a few other stone-walled buildings with similar architecture.
This building, complete with a copper roof dome (not visible in
the exterior image above), is certainly one of the most stunning.

54. Beitou Library, Taiwan

Images courtesy of Flickr user JAQ's PhotoStorage.

While this attractive building might not be the most beautiful one on this list, it is
undeniably the most eco-friendly and the most modern. The slanted roof collects moisture
from humidity and rain, and then recycles it for the restrooms and gardens. The Beitou
Library has also been fitted with solar panels and deep-set and latticed windows to reduce
energy use.

55. Victorian State Library, Australia

Images courtesy of Wikipedia

users Bjenks and Diliff
This library was first opened in
1856 with a collection of 3,800
books, and the famous domed
reading room was opened in 1913.
While the domes skylights were
covered with copper sheets in 1959
due to water leakage, they have
since been renovated, allowing
beautiful natural light to once again
fill the reading room. This library is
not only massive containing over
2 million books it also has some
fantastic rarities, including the
diaries of the citys founders, folios
of Captain James Cook, and the
armor of famed outlaw Ned Kelly.

56. The State Library of New South Wales, Australia

Image courtesy of Flickr user Christopher Chan

The oldest library in all of Australia, the State Library started as the Australian Subscription
Library in 1826, and the current building was built in 1845. The most famous, and most
stunning, part of the library is the Mitchell Wing, which was completed in 1910. The wing
was named for David Scott Mitchell who had a fantastic collection of older books,
including original journals of James Cook. The library now houses over 5 million items,
including 2 million books and 1.1 million photographs.

57. The State Library of South Australia

Images courtesy of Flickr users OZinOH and gracias!

The State Library of South Australia is not as large as some of the other Australian State
libraries, but it does have the distinction of having the largest collection dating from preEuropean times in its South Australiana collection. This collection is mostly contained
within the Mortlock Wing, the oldest and most gorgeous part of the library. Opened in
1884, the building originally held 23,000 books and employed three librarians. Since then,
the collection has expanded so much that two massive buildings had to be added to the
library, although the Mortlock Wing remains the most visually impressive.

58. Victorian Parliamentary Library, Australia

Images courtesy of Flickr user Sally Cummings

The Parliament House was built in stages, starting in 1855, and the library was one of the
first things completed after the Legislative Assembly and Council. While construction
continued all the way through 1929, the buildings Roman Revival design is fluent and
smooth, so the whole thing seems like one single entity rather than a series of extra wings
tagged on throughout the years

59. Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide, Australia

Image courtesy of Wikipedia user pdfpdf

In 1927, the last heir to a prominent philanthropic Australian family offered 20,000 to the
University of Adelaide for a new library, on the condition that it be named after his father,
Robert Barr Smith. The red brick library was completed in 1932, complete with two friezes
commemorating the donations of the Barr Smiths. Since the collection expanded quite
quickly, addition after addition had to be added. These days, the library holds over two
million volumes and now spans over almost 21,000 square meters.

60. University of Otago Central Library, New Zealand

Image courtesy of Flickr user petahopkins

There are ten different libraries at the University of Otago, and when it comes to looks and
impressive collections, the Central Library stands above the rest, with its gorgeous, modern
architecture that lets in ample natural light and its Special Collection containing over 9000
books printed before 1801. The library offers over 2000 study spaces for students and over
500,000 books, periodicals and microfilms.

61. The George Forbes Memorial Library at Lincoln University,

New Zealand

Lincoln University isnt huge, nor is the George Forbes Memorial Library located at the
heart of campus inside Ivey Hall, but what they lack in size they make up for in beauty.
Ivey Hall was opened in 1880, and while the library was originally opened in the George
Forbes Memorial Building in 1960, it was moved into Ivey Hall in 1988 after the building
underwent a major refurbishment.

62. Tuggeranong Library, Australia

Image courtesy of Flickr user longreach

Lake Tuggeranong is a man-made body of water created by a dam in 1987. As a result, the
suburban town built around the lake is equally new, but with the lovely scenery, its no
wonder that the local architecture is a step above typical suburban towns. The Tuggeranong
Town Center Library is no exception and is, in fact, one of the most picturesque buildings
in town particularly when viewed from the water where you can see its reflection. While it
might not be particularly old or have an impressive collection of rare books, with a view
like this, it certainly deserves its place on this list.
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Of course, with all the thousands of libraries in the world, this list of beautiful libraries still
leaves out plenty of gorgeous architectural marvels. If you feel your favorite library was left
out, feel free to tell everyone about it in the comments.