15 Most Beautiful Libraries In The World: From Grand Historical Archives To Futuristic Centres

Jacey Hen

Last updated 23 Jun 2021

Photo Credit: @elinaannina, @taianesandesfoto, @itsfabiansenn (Instagram)

Enter Into A Book Lover's Dream...

While worldwide travel is still at a pause, that doesn't mean we can't dream of all the places we'd like to visit once things get better and borders open up. If you're wondering where to travel to first, perhaps stunning libraries from across the globe may strike some inspiration.

If your idea of a library is a drab place with endless rows of dusty books and dull corners, let this list of the most beautiful libraries in the world change your mind. Many of these spots from across the globe are stunningly built architectural masterpieces and are a must-visit even for non-readers, so feel free to add any (or all) of them into your travel bucket list!

Looking for something more local? Read this for the best libraries and bookstores in Malaysia:

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From charming old-school bookstores to a library overlooking a beautiful lake, we've compiled 11 of our favourite bookstores and libraries in Malaysia.

15 Most Beautiful Libraries In The World

1. Admont Abbey Library, Austria

At the top of our list is one of our all-time favourites, the Admont Abbey Library. Situated in the southeast part of Austria, it stands out from other libraries because of its majestic white and gold interior, as if straight out of a fairytale dream! Also the largest monastic library in the world, the place houses Josef Stammel's The Four Last Things, sculptures which depict death, heaven, hell and the Last Judgement, and the gorgeous frescoes on the ceiling represent different phases of human knowledge.

Address: Kirchplatz 1, 8911 Admont, Austria

2. Mafra National Palace Library, Portugal

The Mafra National Palace Library in Portugal is worth visiting just for its sheer magnificence. With its luxurious marble tile flooring and walls lined with Rococo-style wooden bookshelves, the library is definitely a highlight of the royal palace. The library is also known to home bats that reside behind the bookshelves, eating insects in the library at night that might otherwise feed on manuscript pages.

Address: Terreiro D. João V, Mafra, Portugal

3. Stuttgart City Library, Germany

Situated in the southern German city, the Stuttgart City Library is one of our favourite modernist libraries, showcasing modern minimalism at its finest. Designed by a Korean-born Germany-based architect Eun Young Yi, the 9-storey building comes in the shape of a perfect white cube, complete with a roof terrace offering stunning views of the city. Our favourite part, however, is the aesthetically-pleasing inverted ziggurat reading room on the inside, lit by a photovoltaic glass ceiling.

Address: Mailänder Platz 1, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany

4. Royal Portuguese Reading Room, Brazil

When at Rio de Janeiro, do pay a visit to one of the city's hidden gems, the Royal Portuguese Reading Room. Built in 1837 with the aim to spread culture and literature among the Portuguese communities living in Brazil, the library is home to over 350,000 volumes that include rare books from past centuries. One of the highlights here would be the Altar da Pátria, a stunning masterpiece made from marble, ivory and silver commemorating the Portuguese Discoveries that took place during the 1400s and 1500s.

Address: R. Luís de Camões, 30 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20051-020, Brazil

5. Strahov Library, Czech Republic

Filled with well-preserved history and stunning ceiling frescoes, the magnificent Strahov Library is a must-visit when you’re in the city of Prague. The library is set within a Premonstratensian monastery and is divided into two main halls - the baroque Theological Hall contains mostly literature of a theological nature and a large collection of Bibles in various languages, whereas the Philosophical Hall houses over 42,000 ancient philosophical texts.

Address: Strahovské nádvoří 132/1, 118 00 Prague 1-Hradčany, Czech Republic

6. Qatar National Library, Qatar

Designed by Dutch architecture firm OMA, the Qatar National Library in Doha is an extremely aesthetically-pleasing space, with its unique diamond-shaped exterior and a spacious interior. With a design focus on light and visibility in mind, the bookshelves here are stretched out across terraces at both ends of the large library, while sunk 6 metres deep into the centre of the building are beige marble blocks housing the heritage archive and important collections on Arab-Islamic civilisation.

Address: District of Freedom, Education City, Al Luqta St, Doha, Qatar

7. The Morgan Library and Museum, USA

Once known as the Pierpont Morgan Library, The Morgan Library and Museum is home to the private collection of financier J. P. Morgan, of whom it was named after. Situated right in the heart of New York City, the museum and research library has gorgeous frescoed ceilings and spans across three lots on Madison Avenue. The building also houses bronzed grand bookshelves filled with original manuscripts, as well as a valuable collection of prints and drawings from renowned artists like Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci.

Address: 225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States

8. Tianjin Binhai Library, China

This futuristic Tianjin Binhai Library in China features a breathtaking floor-to-ceiling arrangement of curved shelves. Across a 5-storey space, the library actually owns a capacity that can fit over a mllion books, but currently only stores less than a quarter of that. In fact, most of the books on these shelves are fake, but it is still an insta-worthy spot! At the center of the library is also an auditorium in the shape of a white sphere, and together with its unique exterior design that resembles a giant eye, the library was eventually nicknamed as 'The Eye of Binhai'.

Address: 347 Xusheng Road, Binhai New District, Tianjin, China

9. Library of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Step into what feels like a library straight out from Hogwarts at the Old Library in the Trinity College of Dublin. The Long Room is undoubtedly the most famous part of the library here, with its marble sculptures and two levels of wooden shelves filled from end to end with books and manuscripts. The room stores 200,000 of the library's oldest books, including the highly-valued Book of Kells, a preserved vellum manuscript from the 4th century.

Address: Trinity College of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland

10. Seattle Public Library, USA

There is just so much to love about Seattle, from their art scene, food and great coffee, down to their Seattle Public Library. The city is a UNESCO City of Literature, known for their amazing book stores and the Amazon HQ, but the vibrantly designed Central Library itself is one of the coolest places to be at. With styles of postmodern architecture, the 11-storey glass and steel building is organised into different sections and spaces equipped for specific duties, whether it be for work, interaction, or play.

Address: 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, USA

11. Abbey Library of Saint Gall, Switzerland

Founded in 719AD, the Abbey Library of Saint Gall, also known as Stiftsbibliothek Sankt Gallen in German, is one of the oldest working libraries in the whole world. Home to over 150,000 pieces of work arranged neatly on intricately carved wooden shelves, it is also one of the most stunning libraries on Earth and is even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being “a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery.”

Address: Klosterhof 6D, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland

12. Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico

A visit to the Biblioteca Vasconcelos public library in Mexico City feels more like an artistic experience thanks to its unique design and interior structure. With its asymmetrically stacked open bookshelves and balconies, together with see-through walls, the library may very well appear as if its filled with endless rows of floating bookcases. Another element we love about the unique space is also the permanent art installation situated in the middle of it all - a wonderful hanging sculpture made from whale skeleton, named the Ballena.

Address: Eje 1 Nte. S/N, Buenavista, Cuauhtémoc, 06350 Mexico City, Mexico

13. Starfield Library, South Korea

Located in the underground COEX shopping mall of South Korea, the beautiful Starfield Library is home to 50,000 books and reading material from across all genres. The vibrant 2-storey establishment is brightly lit throughout the day and stands out with its huge floor-to-ceiling bookshelves situated next to the escalators. Doubling as a cultural event space, the library also hosts a line-up of social and arts events each month, from exhibitions and lectures, to book readings and workshops.

Address: 513 Yeongdong-daero, Samseong 1(il)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

14. George Peabody Library, USA

Funded by philanthropist George Peabody for the citizens of Baltimore, the George Peabody Library is now a 19th-century focused research library of the Johns Hopkins University, also known as the 'cathedral of books'. Six storeys high, the library is a stunning building with ornate iron railings, gold scalloped columns, marble tiles and neatly arranged shelves filled with nearly 300,000 books. The public library also allows private events to be held here, providing an absolutely stunning setting for receptions and weddings.

Address: 17 E Mt Vernon Pl, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, United States

15. Oodi Helsinki Central Library, Finland

One of the newer libraries on this list, the Oodi Helsinki Central Library was voted the best new public library in the world in 2019, to no surprise. The 3-storey modern library is where you'll get to enjoy traditional library services as well as workshops, film screenings or simply to catch up with a friend over a cup of coffee. The striking building is also not one you'd easily miss - standing tall in central Helsinki, the Finnish spruce exterior of the public library is shaped into a uniquely twisted surface, with the large glass windows of the upper 'reading room' floor overlooking the rest of the city.

Address: Töölönlahdenkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

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