The written word has captivated the human mind for millennia -- a fascinating historical and photographic look at history's greatest libraries.
Mankind’s Greatest Libraries: The Bodleian, United Kingdom
If you want access to this seminal European library, you must agree to a formal declaration. While the “Bud’s” roots can be traced further than its oft-cited 1602 founding, Oxford University’s Bodleian Library has a heritage as rich as its book collection.
Source: Xaxon
Source: IESA Abroad
Library of Celsus, Turkey
The Library of Celsus was once home to approximately 12,000 scrolls and the tomb of the Roman senator for which the building was named. An unfortunate by-product of natural disasters, all but the facade of the library was burned to the ground in the year 262. In its heyday, the library was considered the third richest library of its kind.
Source: Fullerton University
Source: TinyPic
Library Of Trinity College, Ireland
Source: Blogspot
Ireland’s Library of Trinity College serves as one of the many beacons of the Emerald Isle. The library is home to over five million books, the most famous of which being the Book of Kells–the Four Gospels of the New Testament acclaimed for their stunning example of what is known as the insular style.
Source: City Trip Planner
Source: Lessing Photo
Source: Wikimedia
Mankind’s Greatest Libraries: Bibliothèque Nationale, France
Source: Paris Incognito
Consider France’s Bibliothèque Nationale a central hub for all things literary and French. One of the more pleasant things to come from France’s revolution was their national library, whose inventory increased tenfold as private libraries of the elite were seized and entered into the national system.
The Great Library Of Alexandria, Egypt
From its Ptolemy I or II inception, the Library of Alexandria‘s goal was certainly ambitious: collect all the world’s knowledge. Located in Egypt, it was the first known library of its time and was home to some renown international scholars. But as a tragic consequence of conquest, the library was destroyed by Julius Caesar when he claimed to have been trying to set fire to his own ships.
Source: Plato’s Academy
Source: WordPress
Mankind’s Greatest Libraries: New York Public Library
Second only to the United States Library of Congress in terms of size, the New York Public Library serves as a testament to philanthropy, persistence and the importance of literature. The product of the minds and money of millionaires like John Jacob Astor, Joseph Logswell and Andrew Carnegie, the NYPL has branches throughout the Big Apple, the most famous of which being the one on Fifth Avenue.
Source: Tiny Pic
Source: Blogspot
If you enjoyed reading about mankind’s greatest libraries, be sure to read about the coolest libraries in the world and the greatest architecture of the Middle Ages.
