Liberei, Medieval library building near St. Andreas Church in Brunswick, Germany
The Liberei is a brick building with Gothic features that stands next to St. Andreas Church. The small structure with its distinctive shape looks like a carefully preserved treasure in the heart of the old town.
The library building was built in the early 15th century as one of the first independent library structures north of the Alps. World War II caused severe damage, but it was later restored to its original state.
The library building served as a place where people could access books, which was unusual for its time. The chained manuscripts show how valuable these works were and how carefully they were guarded.
The building is easy to find from outside since it stands right next to the large church and is hard to miss. Visitors can admire the outer walls, but should remember that this is a protected monument that deserves careful respect.
Johann Ember founded here one of the earliest libraries where books were chained to prevent theft. This unusual method shows how valuable and rare books were at that time.
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