National Library of Russia, National library in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The National Library of Russia is a national library in Saint Petersburg that holds more than 36 million objects across several buildings in the city. The collection includes books, manuscripts, maps, and periodicals that researchers and visitors can consult in dedicated reading rooms.
Catherine the Great founded this institution in 1795 as the Imperial Public Library, which initially received collections from the Załuski Library of Poland. Over the centuries, the institution expanded its holdings through mandatory deposits of all works printed in Russia.
The institution preserves the complete personal book collection of Voltaire, which Catherine the Great purchased from Paris after his death. This collection includes handwritten notes by the philosopher in the margins, offering insight into his thinking.
Visitors can access reading rooms daily, consult with specialists, and join guided tours through departments like Manuscripts and Rare Books. The rooms are spread across several buildings, so it helps to plan ahead which collections you want to see.
The library holds the world's largest collection of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belorussian language materials, including all printed Russian works through mandatory deposit. Researchers can also find more than 6,000 incunabula here, which are books printed before 1501.
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