7 of the Most Beautiful European Libraries that Abound in Magic Mystery
Biblioteca do Convento de Mafra, Portugal
This library is 88 metres long and contains more than 36,000 leather-bound volumes. Worth mentioning are some rare works here, the famous "Nuremberg Chronicle" (1493), as well as several Bibles or the first encyclopaedia known as Diderot et d'Alembert. It is exceptional by its clean, stylish white design.
Austria has several jewels: Stiftsbibliothek Admont and the Austrian National Library
In Vienna there is the Stiftsbibliothek Admont, the world's largest monastic library built in 1776, which is known for its baroque architecture, art and rare manuscripts. The Austrian National Library is the most notable one. Its central state building was opened in 1723 as the royal library. It is exceptional for its combination of baroque tastes and traditional design of the library. There are also large marble statues, columns, and splendid fresco ceilings and its marble floors provide true luxury Baroque feeling.
Strahov library and Clementinum in Prague
We cannot omit Strahov Library in Prague, which boasts two luxuriously generous baroque, Philosophical and Theological, halls. In Strahov library are stored collections counting 200,000 volumes. Prague also boasts a Baroque library of Prague Clementinum from the year 1622, storing 20 thousand volumes mainly of foreign-language theological literature. The building was built by the Jesuits at the church of Holy Klement as a campus established in 1556 on the initiative of King Ferdinand I. of Habsburg and was subsequently turned into a library.
6 million specimens is stored at the library of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland
It is the largest library in Ireland, containing the Books of Kells, which are rare, richly illustrated manuscripts, probably from the 9th century. The Irish national library stores books, publications, drawings, maps, photographs, newspapers and also genealogical documents; in total this collection counts about 6 million specimens. The library stands out for its luxurious marble busts of great philosophers and writers. There is around 14 of them. They originate from sculptor Peter Scheemakers. The best one of these is considered to be the bust of writer Jonathan Swift Louis Francois Roubiliac.
Biblioteca Joanina, Coimbra, Portugal, said good bye to insects
It is interesting especially for its luxurious books, but also because it is one of the two libraries in the world which owns bats to protect the books against insects. It was built in the 18th century during the reign of the Portuguese King John V., it is part of the University of Coimbra. Inside there are three great halls, decorated by arches which look like portals. The walls are covered with two-floor gold-painted shelves, and the painted ceilings are the work of Lisbon artists Simões Ribeiro and Vicente Nunes, harmoniously combining with other decorations.
