The most stunning libraries in the world may not be included in your places to travel list. No surprise there as it is rarely a destination for travelling, especially those who prefer to visit places really geared toward majority of the tourist, and not specifically to a group with a common purpose. Nevertheless, there are a number of libraries that have made it into the list of must see places, especially if you go to a country filled with libraries that are built by iconic or legendary people in their time.
- Biblioteca Marciana is located in Italy and is one of the surviving libraries of the country. The one who designed the library was the renaissance architect Jacopo Sansovino known for leaving an indelible imprint in Venice. The library's construction took fifty years to complete. Titian and Sansovino chose 7 Renaissance artists which included Veronese, in decorating the interiors with their own painting skills. If you wish to visit here with an English guided tour for free, call the place in advance.
- Biblioteca Angelica was built for the Augustinian Monks in the year 1609 and is considered one of the first libraries ever erected in Europe for public viewing. This library contains 200,000 volumes which includes significant collection of Italian Renaissance work about the writings of Saint Augustine, the Counter-Reformation and the Reformation. Its main reading room was renovated in the year 1765 which contains bookshelves of leather-bound books and vaulted ceilings. You might want to get a bit of pistachio cookies nearby Antico Forno della Stelleta.
- Admont Library is located inside the Admont Monastery. When you get inside it will seem like you just witnessed the library featured in the Disney Film, Beauty and the Beast. It is considered one of the longest monastic libraries of the world, filled with rococo design that was meant to display of the collection of books in which it was previously bound with white leather to match the color of the walls. Do not forget to take a closer look at the ceiling filled with frescoes when you visit here.
For over many centuries, monks, presidents, kings and many other luminaries have built libraries in their time but did not stop to just making book repositories but created a grand wonder, thus seeing these architectures as symbols of power, knowledge and wealth. Most of the structures display commanding architecture while some of them house the works of cultural and art treasures.