Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) is a significant institution and cultural hub on the Mediterranean Sea. It was officially inaugurated in October 2002. The Bibliotheca has been characterised as one of the Seven Wonders of modern architecture. The library was built near the site of the ancient library built in the Ptolemaic period. The rebuilding of the old library has returned Alexandria to its former status as a repository for learning and knowledge and provided the city with a landmark building.

Reviving the Old Library

Mostafa Abd El Hamid Elabbady, an Alexandria University professor, proposed the idea of resurrecting the legendary ancient library in 1972. The Egyptian government agreed to support the initiative, which received international attention and support from UNESCO. In 1988, UNESCO held a competition to select the library's design. The Norwegian architectural office, Snøhetta, won the competition.

Alexandria Library’s Design

The library was designed as a tilting disc rising from the ground, with four levels below ground and seven above. The innovative architecture of Bibliotheca Alexandrina allows the entrance of maximum levels of natural light without direct sunlight. The exterior wall of the library is clad with four thousand granite blocks brought from Aswan and carved with letters from the world’s different alphabets.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s Facilities and Services

The library can contain up to 8 million books. It has various facilities, such as the main reading room, specialist libraries, museums, research centres, permanent galleries, a planetarium, and many more.

The mission of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is to disseminate knowledge and science and be home to dialogue and learning. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina offers several services, including, without limitation, book fairs, ceremonies, cinema, competitions, shows, conferences, forums, exhibitions, festivals, and seminars.