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Photographer Goes Around The World In Search Of The Most Beautiful Libraries, And Here Is What He Found
Aren't libraries just magical? The peaceful silence, the mysteries of hundreds of books, the smell of them... And if the library itself is a Baroque architecture masterpiece it sure helps to increment the fascination. In case that your community hasn't been blessed with a local library resembling the one in Hogwarts, we can offer a picture list of the most beautiful ones for you to dwell on.
Italian artist Massimo Listri has traveled around the world capturing the beauty of the most famous libraries. The chosen institutions, revered for their historical value, architectural relevance and preciousness of the books they keep, are standalone works of art. For those lucky enough to visit these design marvels, spending a whole day at the library doesn't sound so bad!
Most of these ornate bibliothecas aren't open for civic uses, so Listri's pictures can take you on tour to those kept from the public eye. From Gothic architecture halls to gilded public libraries, these magnificent establishments can leave you in awe.
Scroll down and let your bibliophile side marvel at the charm the likes of which only these libraries can offer!
More info: Instagram | massimolistri.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Baroque Architecture Library Of Saint Gall, Gallen, Switzerland
Evie 7 years ago
Books are my escape from reality they are precious and are heaven in earth
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Helen Fraser 3 years ago
I've been there. They give you felt slippers to wear to preserve the floors.
Helen Fraser 3 years ago
I've been there! They give you felt shoes to wear to preserve the floors.
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#2
Palace Of Mafra Library, Mafra, Portugal
Ashlyn Krell 7 years ago
I kind of like the artistic license that is being taken in the photos. At the same time, I don't want people to think this is exactly what they'll see if they went there in person: http://lisbonlovers.com/page.php?p=278&cat=
Monika Soffronow 7 years ago
Here is the Wikipedia article on libraries. Quite interesting! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library
Eva Bryson 7 years ago
I'm not particularly fond of "artistic license" when the picture purports to show the actual library. Kinda like lying.
Carla Dias 7 years ago
I'm Portuguese. The library is exactly like that. You should visit it. It's beautiful.
Anik Lottinville 7 years ago
It does not look like that! This photo is desaturated, the floors tiles are suppose to be orange / black / white!
Rui Carriço 7 years ago
It is like that, i leve nearby, I've been many times there, the camera angle hide the floor colors.
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Famous Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland
engineer_nope.avi 7 years ago
Initially when I looked at this, I thought it was the Jedi Archives in Star Wars
#4
Metten Abbey Library, Metten, Germany
Sally Gillies 7 years ago
Imagine the privilege of just walking through and looking around. Awesome
#5
Library Of Fermo, Fermo, Italy
Sally Gillies 7 years ago
And the chairs, and the floor, and the books, and the craftsmanship.
Daniel Davis 7 years ago
Can you imagine sitting in those chairs debating issues with a wealth of knowledge all around you.
#6
Royal Portuguese Cabinet Of Reading, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Monika Soffronow 7 years ago
I suspect this was made like Teatro Amazonas, the Opera House of Manaus in the Amazonas. All the tropical hardwood was sent to France and French craftsmen made all the furniture according to the very highest standards. The floors were made from the best Italian marble that could be found, and then it was all shipped to Brazil. You may have seen it in "Fitzcarraldo" by Werner Herzog. Fortunes were made during the rubber boom, and the opera house in Manaus, as well as the fantastic Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro were begun around 1880. - - - At the same time ... "Brazil was the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery. By the time it was abolished, in 1888, an estimated four million slaves had been imported from Africa to Brazil, 40% of the total number of slaves brought to the Americas. For comparison, the United States received about 3.5%." (Wikipedia) Monstrosities and the utmost refinement seem to travel well together.
Que Estavia 7 years ago
This one is serious about books. The doots even have shelves over them.
#7
Wiblingen Abbey Library, Wiblingen, Germany
Sally Gillies 7 years ago
The sculptures and all the colorful marble and golden accents. I want to go there, too.
Grace McEachin 7 years ago
Regal ... beautiful - however not my favorite of the others I've seen
#8
Sainte-Geneviève Public Library, Paris, France
Grace McEachin 7 years ago
WOW! these libraries are mind-blowing .... I would love to visit each and every one.
Harriet Stevens 7 years ago
Beautiful. And it looks like it actually functions as a library where you can sit and read. Most of these look like beautiful book vaults. This one has heart and soul.
#9
Riccardian Library, Firenze, Italy
#10
Seitenstetten Abbey Library, Seitenstetten, Austria
Ashlyn Krell 7 years ago
Wow, interesting colouring, love the blue! But I think in reality it looks a bit more like this: http://sg.lumas.com/pictures/rafael_neff/benediktinerabtei_seitenstetten-1/
Laura Zaini 7 years ago
after the first comments I am googling them all because the photographer seems to have used a lot of photoshop on most of the pictures.... and I ask to myself..why?!?!?!
Load More Replies... Sally Gillies 7 years ago
I'm not sure I like all the blue and I know I don't like all the books bound the same way. Still worth exploring, though.
Harriet Stevens 7 years ago
Googled this library and its beautiful in natural light. Am guessing the shelves are holding historic documents of the Abbey and Austria, not books.
#11
Library Of The Monastery Of San Francisco, Peru, South America
#12
Wiblingen Abbey Library, Wiblingen, Germany
#13
Strahov Monastery Library, Prague, Czech Republic
#14
National Library Of St Mark's, Venice, Italy
Beverly Collie 6 years ago
All those beautiful but sad, empty libraries and finally one with people in it!
#15
Marucelliana Library, Florence, Italy
Monika Soffronow 7 years ago
The library was opened to the public on September 18, 1752. It was willed by Abbot Francesco Marucelli, (died in Rome, 1703), as a library of general knowledge open to a wide audience, as indicated by the inscription on the facade: "Marucellorum Bibliotheca publicae maxime pauperum utilitati". The core of the collection derives from the library of Abbot Francesco. (wiki)
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#18
Duchess Anna Amalia Library, Weimar, Germany
Jessica Bertram 7 years ago
Aunt Messy, I think O'Pug is taking issue with the fact that the shadows are inverted on the busts...this is clearly photoshopped in places to provide negative shadow effect.
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Megan Johnson 7 years ago
That picture has been oddly Photoshopped. I'm not sure what effect they were trying to achieve, but the library actually looks like this. hl_we_9413...9ca637.jpg 
Ashlyn Krell 7 years ago
The original gold and white is also beautiful! https://fotoeins.com/2015/05/25/weimar-unesco-whs-duchess-anna-amalia-library/
#21
Melk Abbey Library, Melk, Austria
Ann McNeil 7 years ago
Just googled it ... the ceiling is NOT black and white- it's beautifully coloured. Why someone would destroy the beauty of the ceiling by making it b&w, I have no idea, but it's sad.
Megan Johnson 7 years ago
The ceiling isn't actually black and white. It is in color, like this. Melk-Abbey...b5c7a5.jpg 
#23
Joanina Library, Coimbra, Portugal
Markus Holstein 6 years ago
They keep bats in this one to get rid of bugs that might harm the books
#25
Palatina Library, Parma Italy
#26
Library Of Duke D'aumale, Sicily, Italy
Aurélien DavPat 7 years ago
The Duke library is in France, in the Chantilly castle about an houre frome Paris. I have been myself, I think if I had have to made the journey to sicily I would have notice.
Marie-Louise Chenois 7 years ago
the duke d'Aumale was the richest man of the world in his time, he had several castles and places where he lived, including in Sicily...So several libraries of his own (how lucky of him)
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Padula Charterhouse Library, Padula, Italy
Aunt Messy 7 years ago
Looks like the whole place is in desperate need of restoration. Thankfully they've moved the books out - it looks damp in there.
Huib van Wees (hvwees) 7 years ago (edited)
This seems neglected and abandoned..... And that's a pitty... :-(
#28
General Archive Of The Indies, Seville, Spain
#31
Academy Of Science, Torino, Italy
boredkoala 7 years ago
I can just imagine an old timey lecture on empiricism or edible mushrooms or something happening right here. So cool.
#33
Vatican Apostolic Library, Vatican City
Cat on a bike 7 years ago (edited)
Yeah the secret library is what I want to see, not the public one... So much information behind locked doors.
Tao 7 years ago
Do you actully know those archive are not secret ? Stop believing Brown's book.
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#35
The Crociera Library, Rome, Italy
Kerry Ericksson 6 years ago
This one is the most calming one for me without being overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place
#36
Taipei Public Library, Taipei City, Taiwan
Night Owl 7 years ago (edited)
and the OCD part of me wants to at least move the lamps so they look more symmetrical and fix the bouquets ... Ok I better stop now while I still can
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I-Chen Yeh 6 years ago
This place looks like rare books room of national central library in Taiwan.
#37
Corsiniana Library, Rome, Italy
#38
Casanata Library, Rome, Italy
Aunt Messy 7 years ago
They can't allow direct sunlight on the books. They should actually be using semi-opaque blinds.
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#40
Palazzo Altieri Library, Rome, Italy
#41
Public Library Of Imola, Imola, Italy
Margaret Lee 6 years ago
They are beautiful, but, personally, I love all the small town libraries where I have spent hundreds of hours, with so many dedicated librarians!
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What do you think ?
Full Name 7 years ago
Downvoted. For some reason instead of just properly doing the white balance, the poster has changed so many of these photos to give a different enough look to these places that the whole article gives a bit of a false impression. What is to be gained by purposely altering the look of what these places actually look like since what they really look like is the whole point of the article?
Marie-Louise Chenois 7 years ago
Totally agreed, i stopped watching after page 2 because the photoshop was being too intense and i don't know if i can trust anything anymore in this post about how it does look or not...
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Aunt Messy 7 years ago
The blue shelves were over the top, but the rest are only a matter of lighting and the choices the photographer made about it.
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Andres Tejeda 7 years ago
As a person who loves to read I could spend days in any one of these libraries.
meAgan 6 years ago
Here in Hong Kong, our Central Library in Causeway Bay has two huge flights of stairs leading up to the entrance. On each stair is a famous quote about knowledge in English or Chinese. We have a globe fountain and a outdoor podium with cafes and bookstores. It's where I fell in love with reading, and some of the quotes on the stairs has become my mottos. I couldn't wish for better--- it's not as extravagant as the ones pictured above but I'm happy as long as I have a neverending supply of books :)
Veronika Herczeg 7 years ago
These are all fascinating, but I think the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library in Budapest, Hungary should be on the list too! :) f7719bdbc8...521aac.jpg 
Full Name 7 years ago
Downvoted. For some reason instead of just properly doing the white balance, the poster has changed so many of these photos to give a different enough look to these places that the whole article gives a bit of a false impression. What is to be gained by purposely altering the look of what these places actually look like since what they really look like is the whole point of the article?
Marie-Louise Chenois 7 years ago
Totally agreed, i stopped watching after page 2 because the photoshop was being too intense and i don't know if i can trust anything anymore in this post about how it does look or not...
Load More Replies... Aunt Messy 7 years ago
The blue shelves were over the top, but the rest are only a matter of lighting and the choices the photographer made about it.
Load More Replies... Andres Tejeda 7 years ago
As a person who loves to read I could spend days in any one of these libraries.
meAgan 6 years ago
Here in Hong Kong, our Central Library in Causeway Bay has two huge flights of stairs leading up to the entrance. On each stair is a famous quote about knowledge in English or Chinese. We have a globe fountain and a outdoor podium with cafes and bookstores. It's where I fell in love with reading, and some of the quotes on the stairs has become my mottos. I couldn't wish for better--- it's not as extravagant as the ones pictured above but I'm happy as long as I have a neverending supply of books :)
Veronika Herczeg 7 years ago
These are all fascinating, but I think the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library in Budapest, Hungary should be on the list too! :) f7719bdbc8...521aac.jpg
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