Boekentoren, University library tower in Ghent, Belgium
The Book Tower stands 64 meters tall with twenty floors above ground and four underground levels, storing 46 kilometers of printed materials.
Henry van de Velde designed this concrete building in 1933, and the German Army occupied it during World War II for its strategic location.
The structure represents the fourth tower of Ghent, built not for bells but for knowledge, housing three million books and manuscripts.
The library underwent extensive restoration starting in 2012, including the construction of a three-floor underground repository for efficient collection management.
A bronze statue of a fox terrier stands on top of the tower since 2018, marking this modernist structure against the Ghent skyline.
Location: Ghent
Inception: 1936
Architects: Henry van de Velde
Official opening: 1942
Architectural style: modern architecture
Address: Rozier 9, 9000 Gent 9000
Website: https://boekentoren.gent
GPS coordinates: 51.04472,3.72583
Latest update: May 27, 2025 17:34
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