Most Beautiful Libraries
#15 National Library of Belarus
This library has the third largest collection of books in Russia and it is widely popular among Belarus citizens and tourists alike.
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15:
National Library of Belarus
This library has the third largest collection of books in Russia and it is widely popular among Belarus citizens and tourists alike.
14:
British Museum Reading Room
This reading room is found in the Great Court of the British Museum. This iconic room is circular and has become the subject of poems and inspiration for several works of pop culture. It was one of the designs of Victorian architect Sydney Smirke.
13:
Stuttgart City Library
This library is one of Germany's beautiful displays of culture and creativity.
12:
Abbey Library of St. Gall
This library houses the oldest collection in Switzerland and it is one of the earliest monastic libraries in the world. It has over 2,000 manuscripts that date between the 8th and 15th centuries. It is also home to the part B of The Song of the Nibelungs. Books printed before 1900 can only be read in the reading room of the library and may not be removed. This place is pretty legit!
11:
Trinity College Library
This is the largest library in all of Ireland and permanently houses the Book of Kells. In addition to its "Long Room", it is one of the most iconic libraries in the world.
10:
George Peabody Library
Formerly the Library of the Peabody Institute, this Baltimore landmark is now a library and event space.
9:
Seattle Central Library
If you live in Seattle, we don't see why you would ever leave this feat of architecture.
8:
Wiblingen Monastery Library
This library is housed in an former Abbey that was once used as barracks. Today it is the housing for several departments of the medical faculty of the University of Ulm. It's been through a lot and its library holds knowledge and a rich history.
7:
University of Coimbra Library
Portugal has a greater library for their university than a lot of places have for the entire public. We think that's impressive.
6:
Strahov Monastery Theological Library
What is it about monasteries that makes them have such great libraries?
5:
Rijkmuseum Research Library
It is the largest art history library in the Netherlands. It is a key piece of culture but we just like to look at it.
4:
Jay Walker's Private Library
Walker calls it "The Walker Library of the History of Human Imagination." It is not open to the public but it was the subject of a documentary and called "the most amazing library in the world" by Wired magazine.
3:
Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum/Library
The work of world-famous architect Tadao Ando in honor of one of Japan's greatest authors.
2:
Melk Monastery Library
Within this library is a famed collection of musical manuscripts and paintings by Austrian painter Paul Troger. This Austrian abbey's library has several other impressive medieval documents to boast.
1:
Austrian National Library
It's kind of hard to look at this picture without gasping. This library has more than 7.4 million items in its collection making it the largest library in Austria.
