The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World

The libraries presented here exude supreme reverence for the book and its contents as a towering human achievement. One is hard-pressed to doubt the immortality of the texts contained within each binding. Despite the lofty craftsmanship of the art, architecture and the bindings themselves, they have served their purpose only if a reader has been invited, if not lured, to match their dignity. Invest the requisite exertion and time to read and contemplate the knowledge of great books, and you will find the lavishness of even these libraries lacking. The material wealth of these libraries are merely a catalyst for the enrichment of the soul.

I had read the book as part of a reading list assignment. Liked it so much, I decided to buy it as a gift for an old friend who is now enjoying it also.

The great libraries of history have endured such vicissitudes of fortune through the centuries - destruction by revolution, war and fire, dispersal through pilfering, confiscation, monastic decline, loss of patronage - & perhaps the unkindest cut of all, at one point the sale of its books by Oxford University to pay the librarian's wages. It is truly astonishing that so much has survived. This book is a celebration of 23 of these unique and beautiful cathedrals of knowledge in America and Europe. <br /> <br />At a time when most of his subjects were illiterate, the Austrian Habsburg Charles VI created the Hofbibliothek in Vienna. He decreed that its doors be open to (almost) everyone; they could enter free of charge and as often as they wished, but there were a few exceptions: the library was off limits to "ignoramuses, servants, idlers, talkers and gawkers." Alas, the Hofbibliothek is no longer free and, like many libraries included in this book, it is now accessible only to a favoured few. <br /> <br />Indeed, the closest most of us will ever get to the Hofbibliothek or the 22 other great libraries enshrined in its pages is through this book, and for this reason alone, it belongs in the book-lover's collection. There is a brief history of each library, but the real attraction is the spectacular colour photography, including several "gatefold" pages which open to provide wonderful panoramic views nearly 3 feet wide. <br /> <br />Next to the awe-inspiring magnificence of Hofbibliothek, the white and gold Baroque splendour of the Benedictine Abbey Library of Admont in Austria rivals the gold and marble Rococco opulence of the Monastic Library of Wiblingen near Ulm Germany, although after secularisation the latter lost most of its vast book collection. <br /> <br />Another Baroque wonder is The National Library of the Czech Republic in Prague, with its twisted wood columns and trompe-l'oeil frescoed ceiling which draws the eye upward "to confound the true already impressive scale of the hall". When I had the good fortune to visit nearly three decades ago, ironically, it was as a "gawker", on a bus tour of Eastern Bloc capitals. Whisked in and out, we were prohibited from taking photos; no postcards or souvenir booklets were available; memory faded. I am especially pleased to find this unique library included here. <br /> <br />The Vatican Library might be mistaken for a grand reception hall; gold leaf papal insignia, and biblical-themed frescoes framed by ornate moldings cover its panelled walls and vaulted ceilings - and not a book in sight. All of its books are hidden behind securely locked doors. The Vatican Library is, however, open to authorized researchers and its catalogue of 1.6 million printed works is fully computerized. <br /> <br />The somewhat austere National Palace Library in Mafra, Portugal was modeled after the Hofbibliothek in Vienna, but the money ran out before completion and the Franciscans who took it over in 1792, in keeping with their vow of poverty, declined to gild the woodwork, whitewashing it instead. This has faded to a peaceful but elegant cream, against which the coloured titles of the leather book bindings stand out. <br /> <br />A relative new-comer at barely a century old is the John Ryland Library in Manchester, England, commissioned by the widow of a rich industrialist to commemorate her husband's memory. It was designed to resemble the interior of a Gothic cathedral complete with soaring arches, carved oak panelling and stained glass windows but also was equipped with electricity, air conditioning and millions of dollars worth of rare books. <br /> <br />Less ostentatious, perhaps, but still beautiful and certainly more democratic are University Libraries at Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin and truly public libraries in New York City and Washington, D.C. <br /> <br />If your appetite has been whetted by "The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World" you may want to look for more in-depth treatments. For the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, just such a book exists, the lavishly illustrated "Treasures of the Library of Congress" by Charles Goodrum, Abrams, 1980, 318 pages. It contains views of the interiors and chapters on the building of the Library of Congress and its book collection, but the emphasis is on many other artefacts housed there - its vast collection of music scores, sound recordings, films, Orientalia, prints and historic photographs. "Treasures..." is long out of print, but used copies can be found. <br /> <br />Addendum (December 30, 2007): The World's Most Beautiful Libraries was published in 2003. In 2004 the exquisite Rococo interior of the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar, another of the libraries featured in the book, was gutted by fire and many of its 100,000 books and manuscripts destroyed. A heroic fund-raising project ensued and the library was restored and reopened in October 2007. Three books documenting these events have been published in Germany (in German text). They are:"Die Bibliothek brennt: Ein Bericht aus Weimar" (about the fire); "Es nimmt der Augenblick, was Jahre: Vom Wiederaufbau der Buchersammlung der Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek" (discusses the losses, book restoration & reacquisition) and "Die Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek: Nach dem Brand in neuem Glanz" (describing the building restoration.) This third volume may be appreciated even by the non-German reader because of its plentiful and beautiful illustrations.