Alexandria Library

The Bibliotheca Alexandria is a large and beautiful piece of modern architecture that was built in the 21st century. You could look for it on Alexandria’s Corniche. But there are parts of the building that look like they belong to much older buildings. It was made in 2002 as part of a larger plan to show that Alexandria was once an important centre for learning and culture around the world. As part of this project, a library and a cultural centre were both built and opened at the same time.

Alexander the Great decided at the start of the third century B.C. to move the capital of Egypt from Cairo to the city of Alexandria. Because of this choice, the Great Library of Alexandria was built quickly. It is the library that has been open the longest without stopping. People often say that the library and the Mouseion, which the library was a part of, are responsible for preserving a large amount of knowledge. This is one of the most important things that ancient Alexandria did for its culture.

No one knows for sure when Egypt’s ancient libraries were burned, but most people think it happened in Cairo, the country’s capital, at the beginning of the Roman era. Even though no date has been set for the destruction, this is still the case (31 BC). Since so much of the library was burned down, there is no way to know how much historical knowledge was lost.

The modern complex is meant to bring back Alexandria’s once-bright intellectual light. The main reading room of the library is large and has beautiful architecture. It can hold up to 9 million books. The complex also has a planetarium, art galleries with both permanent and temporary shows, a conference centre, and a number of smaller specialised libraries.

Characters from more than 120 different written languages are written all over the outside of the building. This is a fitting way to show how much information from all over the world is stored in the Great Library.