Court library

The court library located in the historical center of Vienna is one of the most interesting historical monuments. It was built in 1735 on behalf of Emperor Charles VI and was originally located separately from the palace. The collection of the library is located in lush halls, which in themselves are a landmark. Here are stored books from the collection of Prince Eugene, frescoes by Daniel Gran, as well as drawings made for the emperor by Paul Strudel. The subject of special pride of the library is the Bible of Johann Guttenberg, printed in 1455, the works of Martin Luther and many rare documents.

Each year the collection of the court library was replenished, and by 1769 it had grown so large that there was a threat of collapse under the weight of books. By order of Empress Maria Theresa and Josef II, work was begun to strengthen the building, and soon the construction of the spacious Josefplatz Square, one of the most beautiful places in Vienna, was completed. In 1920, the Court Library was renamed the Austrian National Library.

The shelves and collections of the library contain all the books ever published in Austria or written by Austrian authors, as well as literature dedicated to this country. The total number of funds exceeds 7.5 million copies. In addition, the library contains about two hundred thousand ancient papyri, thousands of manuscripts, ancient maps and globes, paintings and other graphic materials, photographs and scores of many famous composers.