Abstract
As any important architectural work, the libraries from the distant past are vivid organisms that bear in themselves the biological, historical and humanistic experience. Those who live with, and use, such architecture feel its spiritual energy and its vital palpitation. The space accepts them and through symbols and rituals it passes on their idea; it passes on the situation today, however, this is performed from its yesterday's and tomorrow's position. Therefore, good library architecture does not follow changes in trends and fashion, but lives its own time in the continuum of historical consciousness, revealing the spirit and importance of its existence. In the architectural Renaissance taking place during the last years libraries became exactly the same as the important buildings throughout history used to be. They are prestigious architectural achievements that became the visual and symbolic signs of national pride, the cathedrals of our days.
Highlights
As any important architectural work, the libraries from the distant past are vivid organisms that bear in themselves the biological, historical and humanistic experience
The space accepts them and through symbols and rituals it passes on their idea; it passes on the situation today, this is performed from its yesterday’s and tomorrow’s position
It is my privilege to touch his wonderful library with some of the most impressive architectural motives. These are the great staircase and the colonnade of the 1st floor perystil, the famous symbolical path from the banality, rumour and rush of the every day life to the consecrated silence of the spiritual, from the darkness of ignorance to the brightness of knowledge and erudition that is revealed in the great reading room
Summary
As any important architectural work, the libraries from the distant past are vivid organisms that bear in themselves the biological, historical and humanistic experience. It is impossible to determine why the new libraries (as for example “the Black Diamond”, the new annex of the Danish Royal Library, the National Library in Paris, the University Library in Göttingen or the new Biblioteca Alexandrina) appear as they do with the statement that such as they are they optimally fulfil the aims and visions of librarians. From Michelangello and his Medicean Library, Laurentiana, Domenico Fontana and his Vatican Library, Balthasar Longhena and Jacoppo Sansovino and their well known Venetian libraries to the baroque genius Francesco Borromini who created with his Biblioteca Vallicelliana the first public library of the eternal city, the list of outstanding architects and clients lead through the 18th and 19th century (that are well presented with the Royal Library in Vienna by Johan and his son Emanuel Fischer von Erlach and the Reading hall in the Paris National Library by Henry Labrouste) right to the 20th century that was especially important for the development of the architecture and its position in the contemporary world with many important architects of library buildings (from which we should give a mention at least to the humanistic opus of Alvar Aalto)
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