These pillars of higher learning are also home to some of the world’s most incredible architecture. Below is a small collection of stunning libraries around the globe. From the historical to the modern, these centers of knowledge and learning also preserve the history and culture of their respective periods. Personally, I would find it hard to concentrate in some of these places, they are too beautiful for the eye not to wander.




1. University Club Library - New York City, United States






2. Canadian Library of Parliament - Ottawa, Canada






3. Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - New Haven, Connecticut






4. Iowa State Capital Law Library - United States






5. Suzzalo Library at the University of Washington - Seattle, Washington






6. Admont Abbey Library - Austria






7. State Library - Victoria, Australia






8. Library at El Real Monasterio de El Escorial - Madrid, Spain






9. José Vasconcelos Library - Mexico City, Mexico14






10. Real Gabinete Português de Leitura - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil






11. National Library of Finland - Helsinki, Finland






12. Mitchell Library - Sydney, Australia






13. Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at University of Toronto - Toronto, Canada






14. George Peabody Library - Baltimore, Maryland






15. Strahov Theological Hall - Prague, Czech Republic