Library of Trinity College Dublin, University library within Trinity College, Ireland
Description
The Library of Trinity College Dublin is a university library in central Dublin, Ireland. The main reading room stretches a considerable length and contains dark wooden shelves reaching up to the vaulted ceiling, holding around 200,000 historical volumes.
History
The library was founded in 1592 under Queen Elizabeth I and began as a small collection. Over time it grew into the largest book repository in Ireland, now holding many medieval manuscripts and rare prints.
Culture
The Brian Boru harp sits behind glass and shows the handcrafted woodwork of Irish oak that shaped the national emblem for centuries. Visitors can view the carved decorations and worn timber up close.
Practical
The library opens daily from 9:30 AM, with some areas offering different access times. Students have round-the-clock spaces available during examination periods.
Did you know?
Visitors often overlook that a second level sits directly above the main reading room, originally designed to store and protect books from moisture. This upper gallery was later used for extra shelves and is now part of the accessible route.
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The historic libraries and bookstores of Europe keep collections of books gathered over many centuries. The Livraria Bertrand in Lisbon has been in the same place since 1732, while the Bodleian Library in Oxford, founded in 1602, now holds more than 13 million books. In Porto, the Livraria Lello...
Ireland offers photographers a combination of historical structures, landscape formations and coastal sections. The island contains medieval fortresses such as Blarney Castle and Rock of Cashel, basalt formations at Giant's Causeway, and early medieval monastery sites at Glendalough. Trinity College...
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