Alexandria Library - Bibliotheca Alexandrina
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Alexandria library site plan |
The main building of the library |
The
modern Alexandria Library or the Bibliotheca Alexandrina as once called
in Ancient Egypt is located on a magnificent site in the Eastern Harbor,
facing the sea on the north, and Alexandria University Complex on its
southern side. It is very close to the location of the Ancient Library
in the Brucheion (the Ancient Royal Quarter), as verified by the 1993
archeological survey.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was inaugurated in 2003 near the site of
the old library.
The building consists of 11 levels with a total levels' area of
85,405 m2. The library's main reading area which can accommodate 2000
users occupies 7 levels with a total area of 13,625 m2.The Library has 2
main museums ( the manuscript museum and the Antiquities museum ) and a
Science center of the shape of a sphere and called the Planetarium.
There is also the conference center which is an integral part of the
Alexandria Library to host international conferences in Egypt.
The library design comprises a simple circle inclined towards the sea
and partly submerged in a pool of water. The inclined roof lets in
daylight indirectly and allows for an uninterrupted view of the
Mediterranean. The building is surrounded by a wall clad with granite
engraved with calligraphy and inscriptions representative of the world's
civilizations.
Brief comment about the Ancient library of
Alexandria :
The Royal Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt was once the
largest library in the world. It is generally assumed to have been
founded at the beginning of the 3rd century BC, during the reign of
Ptolemy II of Egypt, after Ptolemy's father had raised what would become
the first part of the library complex, the temple of the Muses.
The Royal Library is believed to have held anywhere between 40,000 to
700,000 books and was initially organized by Demetrius Phalereus. It has
been reasonably established that the library was destroyed by fire yet,
to this day, the details of the destruction or destructions remain a
lively source of controversy.
Sources:
More information about Alexandria :
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