National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, National library in Agdal district, Rabat, Morocco
The National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco is a public library in the Agdal district of Rabat, housed in a modern building with square tower forms and a glass roof decorated with Arabic calligraphy. A large open courtyard sits at the center of the structure, connecting the various reading and study rooms around it.
The institution was founded in 1924 under French administration as the Bibliothèque Générale and opened to the public in 1926. A royal decree in 2003 gave it its current name.
The library's facade carries its name in both Arabic and French, reflecting Morocco's dual administrative tradition. Inside, visitors find manuscripts in Arabic script sitting alongside French-language works, making this coexistence visible and tangible.
The library is open on weekdays and has shorter hours on Saturdays, with adjusted times during Ramadan, so it is worth checking before you go. Access to some collections is reserved for registered users, while casual visitors can still enter and use the general reading rooms.
Although the building is modern, it was designed to echo the outline of a traditional Moroccan mosque, with its square tower forms referencing that architectural tradition. This same reference carries through to the calligraphy on the glass roof, tying the two traditions together in a single surface.
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