For travelers who love books, history and architecture, visiting some of the world’s most iconic libraries is a wonderful way into the cultural and literary heritage of a destination.

Libraries have been revered centers of learning and culture since antiquity—legendary libraries of the ancient world such as the lost Library of Alexandria and the Library of Celsus at Ephesus were magnets for international scholars and philosophers. In addition to housing impressive collections with historical documents and rare artifacts, the most renowned libraries are also known for their architecture, whether they are historic, ornate edifices or landmarks of modern design, making them fascinating, multifaceted sites to explore.

Artisans of Leisure customizes private tours around the world and can arrange visits to renowned libraries known for their beauty, history and collections, from historic university libraries to contemporary public libraries that continue to evolve as modern cultural institutions. 

Libraries in Ancient Monasteries and Universities

Some of the most beautiful libraries in the world are part of historic universities and ancient monasteries, traditional centers of learning dedicated to preserving ancient manuscripts and rare books, promoting education and supporting the arts. 

Rich in history and celebrated for their magnificent interiors, notable monastic libraries include the Strahov Library, part of the Strahov Monastery in Prague, Czech Republic, where an exclusive tour of the Baroque rooms is a highlight of our private Prague tours. 

Other famous monastic libraries include the Abbey Library of St. Gall in St. Gallen, Switzerland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its beautiful Baroque interior; the fairytale blue-and-gold Admont Abbey Library in Austria (the inspiration for the Beast’s library in Disney’s Beauty & the Beast); and the UNESCO-listed Library of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial near Madrid, Spain, a Renaissance-era library founded in 1565.

Among the great historic university libraries is the Bodleian Library in Oxford, England, one of the oldest libraries in Europe and an iconic part of the University of Oxford.

The Bodleian is renowned for its history, its incredible architecture that ranges from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, its vast collection of books and manuscripts (highlights of the collection are displayed in a purpose-built hall) and its appearance in numerous television series and films, including Harry Potter. We highly recommend a tour of the atmospheric buildings and reading rooms.

Other renowned, historic university libraries include the Jonanine Library, located at the University of Coimbra in Portugal; the University of Salamanca Library in  Salamanca, Spain; Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland; and the Reading Room Saint-Jacques in the Paris-Sorbonne University Library in Paris, France.

Libraries with Renowned Collections & Exhibitions

Functional and beautiful, many of these great libraries are worth visiting not only for their architecture and history but also for the highlights of their collections on display in permanent or rotating exhibitions. One of our favorite libraries that exhibits renowned works from its collection is Trinity College Library in Dublin.

This iconic university library is known for its atmospheric barrel-vaulted Long Room, which holds thousands of rare books and displays literary treasures such as the Book of Kells, a spectacular illuminated manuscript that dates to the late eighth or early ninth century.

The British Library is a wonderful stop in London for all bibliophiles on our private England tours, with a permanent exhibition that includes a copy of the Magna Carta, the Lindisfarne Gospels, Leonardo da Vinci’s manuscripts, Shakespeare’s First Folio, Jane Austen’s notebooks and more.

For travelers on our private Italy tours, we recommend having us arrange a visit to the lesser-known Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, founded in 1607 as one of the oldest public libraries in Europe. It has a vast collection of over a million volumes, manuscripts, drawings and other documents (including Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus) and an art gallery (Pinacoteca Ambrosiana) with a notable collection of Renaissance and Baroque works by Botticelli, da Vinci, Raphael and Caravaggio.

Located in a wing of the Hofburg palace complex in Vienna, Austria, is the magnificent former library of the Habsburg court, now part of the Austrian National Library. The 18th-century State Hall, regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful Baroque libraries, is filled with marble sculptures, allegorical frescoes, antique Venetian globes and an extensive collection of antique books and manuscripts displayed on towering shelves beneath an ornate cupola. The Austrian National Library maintains an impressive schedule of literary-themed exhibitions in the State Hall as well as at additional sites such as the Literature Museum and Papyrus Museum.

The library at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt, founded between 548 and 565 A.D. is the oldest continuously operating library in the world. Set in a remote desert location at the foot of Mount Sinai, this UNESCO World Heritage Site holds a significant collection of Byzantine icons and thousands of ancient manuscripts, including some of the earliest printed works of Homer and Plato and ancient Greek medical texts by Hippocrates.

Landmarks of Modern Architecture

Libraries have historically been incredible architectural spaces—the Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy, is one of Michelangelo’s most renowned architectural works, admired by his contemporaries for its revolutionary design—and the tradition continues to evolve today along with the role of the modern library.

Libraries such as the Learning Center University of Economics and Business in Vienna, designed by starchitect Zaha Hadid or the Philological Library on the campus of the Free University of Berlin, Germany designed by Norman Foster, are landmarks of modern architecture, blending groundbreaking design with functional spaces for research, community and cultural events.

In Alexandria, Egypt, the Biblioteca Alexandrina was erected to commemorate the legendary, lost Library of Alexandria. Designed by Norwegian architecture firm Snohetta and completed in 2002, the tilting cylindrical structure by the Mediterranean Sea is inscribed with characters from different alphabets around the world. The complex includes a collection of millions of books, four museums, four art galleries, a planetarium and a manuscript restoration lab.

A firm favorite with architecture enthusiasts is the minimalist Stuttgart City Library in Stuttgart, Germany. Designed by Eun Young Yi and completed in 2011, its white, light-filled cube-shaped interior has been compared to illustrations by the Dutch artist M.C. Escher.

Mexico City has two notable modern libraries, the futuristic Biblioteca Vasconcelo (famed for its unique hanging bookshelves and works of art by Mexican artists) and UNAM Central Library, the main library of the UNESCO-listed University City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), whose exterior is clad in a vast mosaic by Mexican artist Jouan O’Gorma.

Other must-see modern libraries for traveling design enthusiasts include the Starfield Library in Seoul, South Korea; the Carnegie Library in Reims, France, a gem of Art Deco architecture; the Hachioji Library designed by Toyo Ito, part of the Tama Art University Library in Tokyo, Japan…

…the Black Diamond waterfront extension of the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen, Denmark; and the undulating Helsinki Central Library Oodi in Helsinki, Finland. 

Artisans of Leisure can customize our private tours to incorporate visits to renowned libraries, hidden gems such as Cuyper’s Library in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, national archives, cafes run by publishing houses, favorite bookshops, antiquarian booksellers and other literary touring highlights such as visits to house-museums of famous authors, historical sites that inspired fictional locations and more.

Contact Artisans of Leisure to begin planning a customized private tour featuring renowned libraries and other literary travel experiences.