Lotrlibrary.com – When you’re reading a book, where is it usually best? In the room, huh? In the park? By the lake? Or at your boyfriend’s house? It turns out that reading mood is also influenced, you know, by the place. Apart from the quiet atmosphere which must be there, the most pleasant place for reading must also be pleasing to the eye. Do not believe? Try it, look at the 8 libraries below. Even if reading isn’t your hobby, it’s guaranteed that you will want to spend a long time looking at the book collection here!
1. Strahov Monastery (Czech)
This monastery complex located in Prague has existed since 1143. Apart from being famous as the residence of around 70 monks, Strahov Monastery also has a library whose beauty is famous throughout the universe, the Theological Hall. For those of you who are fans of James Bond films, you will definitely be familiar with seeing the Strahov Monastery library. Yep, this library was once the filming location for the film Casino Royale! Previously, Johnny Depp also stopped here to shoot his film From Hell. Apart from thousands of Bible editions, the Theological Hall also contains a collection of more than 200,000 books. 3,000 of them are original manuscripts of the Bible.
2. Yangzhou Zhongshuge (China)
Even though it’s not exactly a library, Mister added the bookstore located in Zhen Yuan to the list because of its beauty that can’t be found anywhere else. Its location on the river bank inspired the architects who built Yangzhou Zhonshuge to make this bookstore look like a river. The circular bookshelves follow the shape of the room, the floor resembles glass, and the light that emerges from behind the shelves makes anyone feel like they have entered a tunnel filled with a river of books. It’s really cool, that’s all! With an area of up to 1,000 square meters, here you can also find a reading room and children’s area with a rural theme.
3. Trinity College Old Library (Ireland)
This library located in Dublin is famous for one book in its collection; Book of Kells – New Testament Bible manuscript containing 4 gospels. But speaking of books, the Old Library has a collection of books that is no joke, Aladiners. It’s not surprising, because this library is indeed the copyright library of this country. In other words, ALL literature published in Ireland is kept in copies here! Completed in 1733, one of the most beautiful parts here is the Long Room which is filled with around 200,000 of the oldest book collections owned by this library.
4. Abbey Library of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
In keeping with the classic European architectural style of the room, this library holds hundreds of thousands of the oldest book collections in Switzerland! Some of them were even written in the 8th century, you know. Due to its architectural beauty and historical value, the Abbey of St. Gallen was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. One of the areas most frequently visited by tourists in this library is the Rococo hall which was designed directly by the famous Austrian architect, Peter Thumb, in the Baroque style typical of Roman churches.
5. Stuttgart City Library (Germany)
While most beautiful libraries in the world show the beauty of a classic architectural style filled with pillars, paintings and dark wooden shelves, Stuttgart City Library actually uses a minimalist concept in its interior style. Everything that is simple, is not necessarily simple. Just look at this library which has been around since 2011. The beauty makes your eyes open all day! With white dominating throughout the area, here you won’t find wooden pillars like in old-style libraries. The only color that is an accent in this all-white library is in the reading chairs and books displayed on the shelves. Wow, that’s really cool, huh!
6. Bodleian Library (England)
Its location on the oldest campus in England, Oxford University, gives this library a very “classic British” style. Not only is it beautiful on the inside, the Bodleian Library is also pleasing to look at from the outside. Apart from the main library building, one of the things most visited by tourists here is the Radcliffe Camera. The reading room, whose building is shaped like a full circle, has been around since 1749, and its name is taken from the name of the benefactor who financed the construction of this building, John Radcliffe. Hehe, who is Daniel Radcliffe, huh? Hey, talking about Daniel Radcliffe, this library, which has been open since 1602, is also one of the filming locations for the Harry Potter films, you know. Wow, no wonder the shape is familiar, isn’t it?
7. Vennesla Library and Cultural Center (Norway)
The difference between the Vennesla Library and other libraries is that here you can find a cafe, meeting room and reading room in the same place without barriers. Can you imagine the excitement? Designed by the Norwegian architectural company, Helen & Hard, the Vennesla Library has a unique interior design and architectural style that is unlike any other building in the world. Deliberately designed to make visitors feel like they have entered the stomach of a whale, the ceiling of this library is curved to resemble a triangle and the partitions between the rooms which also function as bookshelves are made like ribs. So cool!
8. Admont Abbey Library (Austria)
If Vennesla has a modern architectural concept, the Admont Abbey Library carries a Baroque architectural style that never makes the eye bored looking at it. Located on the banks of the Enns River, this library was completed in 1776. While other Baroque style buildings are mostly decorated with dark colored pillars and furniture, Admont Abbey is dominated by white and gold. Entering here will make you feel like you’re in the European version of Barbie’s house; classic and cute. Apart from its super beautiful decoration, this library is also decorated with works by world artists, such as Bartolomeo Altomonte, whose paintings can be seen on the library ceiling, and Joseph Stammel’s sculptures depicting death, heaven, hell and the Day of Judgment in the afterlife.