Bibliotheca Sanctus

The Mackintosh Library in The Glasgow School of Art

The Mackintosh Library in The Glasgow School of Art

The Mackintosh Library in The Glasgow School of Art

The Mackintosh Library in The Glasgow School of Art

The Mackintosh Library in The Glasgow School of Art was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928). The library is located in the west wing of the building which was built 1907-1909, during the second phase of construction. It is the most dramatic of the interiors designed by Mackintosh for the School of Art, having a distinctive decorated balcony and striking central cluster of electric lights. It has been described as “one of the finest rooms in Glasgow”. The magazine rack in the centre was added in 1909. The Mackintosh Library currently houses the School of Art’s reference collection of historic periodicals, journals and books.

The Biblioteca Angelica in Rome, Italy

The Biblioteca Angelica in Rome, Italy

The Biblioteca Angelica in Rome, Italy

The Biblioteca Angelica in Rome, Italy is a public scientific library located in the Piazza Sant. Agostino square, next to the church of Sant. Agostino. It was founded in 1604 and is named after its founder cardinal Angelo Rocca. The library holds about 180.000 volumes of manuscripts (among them the Codex Angelicus), 1.100 incunabula and thousands of geographic maps, which formerly belonged to the Augustinians.

Library of Chateau de Groussay

Library of Chateau de Groussay

The private library or bibliothéque of the Château de Groussay located near Versaille, France. The Château was built in 1815 by the duchesse de Charest, a daughter of Louise Elisabeth de Croÿ-Havré, marquise de Tourzel, the governess of the royal enfants de France of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The Château was purchased in 1938-39 by the French aesthete Carlos de Beistegui, who enlarged it, with the professional help of Emilio Terry. Cecil Beaton’s inspiration for Henry Higgins’ library in My Fair Lady was the library at Groussay. Beistegui created new gardens, inspired by the Anglo-Chinese gardens of the 18th century and the royal gardens of Drottningholm Palace in Sweden. They feature a Chinese pagoda, a labyrinth, a theater of verdure, a Tartar tent, and other follies.

Austrian National Library, Vienna

Austrian National Library, Vienna

Austrian National Library, Vienna