Among The Oldest Libraries

The Oldest Libraries Around the World

A selection of beautiful places to start your day

Alison Nastasi | April 24, 2016

It’s no secret around here that we’re a little bit obsessed with libraries — their collections, stunning designs, and sometimes playful interiors. After reading news this week about the restoration of Morocco’s Al Qarawiyyin Library, featured below, we knew it was time to take a trip around the world to highlight some of the oldest libraries in existence — repositories of ancient art and architecture, history, and prized books. Here are ten of our favorites.

The al-Qarawiyyin Library in Fez, oldest library in Africa, founded in 859, "The library’s main reading room. The original room was too dim to read in, so a new lighting system with a central chandelier has been installed." Source: http://ideas.ted.com/restoring-the-worlds-oldest-library/

<more at http://flavorwire.com/573078/the-oldest-libraries-around-the-world; related articles and links: http://ideas.ted.com/restoring-the-worlds-oldest-library/ (Restoring the world’s oldest library. March 1, 2016) and http://www.sturgislibrary.org/history/oldest-library/ (Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the OLDEST of them all…? October 2013)>