the most beautiful libraries in the world – SiViaggia

The libraries they have been, since time immemorial, places of great charm and beauty, true temples of culture in which to take refuge from the daily chaos, but also where to admire exceptional books and environments. In honor of World Book and Copyright Day, established by UNESCO to promote reading, the publication of books and the protection of intellectual property through copyright, which is celebrated every year on April 23 with numerous events around the world, we at SiViaggia we have selected them for you most beautiful libraries around the planet.

Trinity College Library, where imagination comes to life

We begin this journey from Dublin where the oldest and largest library in Ireland stands: theOld Library of Trinity College. Entering it is like catapulting yourself into a world where fantasy comes to life, thanks to the presence of many books but also to the structure itself: it is equipped with halls that seem infinite and ceilings that almost reach the sky.

It’s no surprise, then, that Dublin’s Old Library was chosen as the setting for Harry Potter: it is the one in which the most famous wizard in the world, in the company of his inseparable Ron and Hermione, searches for spells, forbidden books and spells. Right here, among other things, the Trinity College harp is kept, better known as the “Brian Boru Harp”, which is the oldest in the whole country.

Real Gabinete Portugues from Leitura, a true gem

There Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura is a silent and hidden gem of the festive city of Rio de Janeiro, a place so evocative that it has even been defined by Time, in 2014, as the fourth among the most beautiful libraries in the world. Built in neo-Manueline style with an exterior in limestone decorated with the statues of some Portuguese explorers, such as Pedro Alvares Cabral, Luis de Camoes and Vasco da Gama, it is also a masterpiece inside: it follows the neo-Manueline style in the shutters, in the wooden shelves wood for books and in memorials.

The ceiling is particularly evocative Reading Room, embellished with a beautiful chandelier and a skylight with an iron structure, the first example of this type of architecture in Brazil. There is also an unmissable monument in silver, ivory and marble, 1.7 meters high, which celebrates the age of discoveries.

Abbey Library of Saint Gall, a special place

L’Abbey Library of Saint Gall It is located in Switzerland and is one of the most important and oldest monastic libraries in the world. Founded in the 8th century and then rebuilt in the 18th century in Baroque Rococo style, over the centuries it has accumulated more and more volumes, some of which are more than a thousand years old.

As a perfect example of a Carolingian-style monastery, it was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1983, and has almost 160,000 original works, of which 2,100 manuscripts copied between the 8th century and the 15th century, 1,650 incunabula and numerous old codices books and printed documents.

New York Public Library, among the symbols of the Big Apple

The marvelous one certainly couldn’t be missing from this list New York Public Library, the third largest library in North America: it includes 88 branches and 4 academic research centers. Describing them all is almost impossible, and for this reason we want to tell you about its headquarters which is housed in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue, in a majestic beaux-art style building, flanked by two gigantic lions.

It is a place that children might also like, because on the ground floor there is a section entirely dedicated to them and where the original soft toy is kept Winnie the Pooh from 1921, which belonged to Christopher Robin Milne, son of the creator of this much-loved character. For the rest, it is a place that we can define as a true artistic-architectural masterpiece, and which preserves over 52 million volumes (including paper books, e-books, DVDs), and historical objects of incredible value.

Library of Admont Abbey, with frescoed domes

The extraordinary Admont Abbey Library it is located in Austria and is housed in a magnificent Benedictine monastery. Considered the largest monastic library in the world, it undoubtedly impresses with its magnificently frescoed domes, white and gold shelves, extraordinary hidden doors and interesting sculptures by Josef Stammel.

This incredible library has the size of a cathedral: it occupies 79 meters long by 14 meters wide and its colorful domes are skilfully decorated with Trompe l’oeil frescoes, created by Bartolomeo Altomonte. Furthermore, they also have an architectural value because they allow natural light to filter inside the structure until it is completely illuminated.

George Peabody of Baltimore, with exceptional interiors

The interiors of George Peabody of Baltimore have always been considered among the most beautiful in the world: the visitor finds himself walking in a monumental building embellished by the presence of a black and white marble floor with alternating slabs, a frosted glass skylight, five orders of ornamental black cast iron balconies and columns with golden decorations.

Furthermore, the main collection boasts around 300,000 volumes particularly focused on the 19th century and on themes such as religion, British art, architecture, American history, Romance languages, the history of science, geography, exploration and travel.

Marciana Library, among the largest in our country

An Italian wonder certainly couldn’t be missing from this list, and for this reason we chose one of the largest and most evocative libraries in our country: the Marciana Library of Venice, which takes place in the enchanting setting of Piazza San Marco. It currently houses more than a million printed volumes, geographical maps and historical atlases and offers a series of extraordinary Monumental Halls that can be discovered thanks to a guided tour.

An activity that we recommend you do as the structure is full of vaulted ceilings decorated with stucco and paintings by Battista Franco and Battista del Moro, paintings that leave you breathless, a terrestrial globe and a celestial globe from the 17th century and many other wonders that alone are worth the trip.