Austrian National Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Österreichische Nationalbibliothek |
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| Austrian National Library entrance at Heldenplatz | |
| Country | Austria |
| Established | 1368 (as Imperial Court Library) |
| Location | Neue Burg, Hofburg, Innere Stadt, Vienna |
| Coordinates | 48°12′22″N 16°21′59″E / 48.20611°N 16.36639°E |
| Collection | |
| Size | 12,229,285 items |
| Other information | |
| Director | Johanna Rachinger |
| Phone number | +43 1 534 10 |
The Austrian National Library (German: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) is the biggest library in Austria. It holds over 12 million items in its many collections. You can find the library in the Hofburg palace in the center of Vienna.
It was started by the Habsburg family, who were once the rulers of Austria. Back then, it was called the Imperial Court Library. Its name changed in 1920 to the Austrian National Library. This happened after the Habsburg rule ended and Austria became a republic. The library is more than just books; it also has four museums and many special collections.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The library's story began a very long time ago, in the Middle Ages. Around the year 1368, an Austrian ruler named Duke Albert III started gathering books. He moved them into a special library in Vienna. Albert also made sure important Latin books were translated into German.
One of the oldest books in the library belonged to Duke Albert III. It's called the Holy Gospels from 1368. This book has beautiful gold letters and detailed pictures.
Growing the Collection
Later, Emperor Frederick III and Emperor Maximilian I added many valuable books. Maximilian got some amazing books from France and Burgundy when he married Mary of Burgundy. These books were worth a huge amount of money back then!
At first, the books were kept in different places like Vienna and Innsbruck. Over time, the library grew with gifts from scholars. In 1575, the first head librarian, Hugo Blotius, was appointed. He helped organize the library, which had about 9,000 books.
In 1624, a rule was made that copies of all new books printed in Austria had to be sent to the Imperial Library. This helped the collection grow even more.
The Grand Baroque Era
In 1722, Emperor Charles VI decided the library needed a grand new home. He ordered a special building to be built in the Hofburg palace. This beautiful wing was designed by famous architects.
One of the most important additions during this time was the huge collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy. He owned 15,000 valuable books from France and Italy. The library's main hall, called the Prunksaal, held about 200,000 books by then.
Later, a doctor named Gerard van Swieten and his son Gottfried van Swieten helped add many scientific books. Gottfried also started using a card catalog system. This made it much easier to find books and keep track of the growing collection.
Changes and Challenges
After the Holy Roman Empire ended and the Austrian Empire began, the library was reorganized. It became a library for students, a national library for Austria, and still the library of the Hofburg palace.
The library started collecting books not just in German, but also in Slavic and Hungarian languages. This was because the Austrian Empire included many different cultures. During a time of big changes in 1848, the library was in danger when the Hofburg caught fire. Luckily, it survived!
An important part of the library, the papyrus collection, was added thanks to an antique dealer named Theodor Graf.
Becoming the National Library
After World War I, in 1920, the Imperial Library officially became the Austrian National Library. During World War II, the library unfortunately took in many books that had been stolen from Jewish citizens and other victims.
After the war, the library worked hard to return these stolen items. Since 2003, over 32,000 objects have been given back to their rightful owners or their families. This is a very important part of the library's history.
Modern Times
In 1966, many collections were moved to the Neue Burg wing of the Hofburg palace. New reading rooms were created for visitors. The library kept growing, and by 1992, it held about 4 million items.
For a long time, the library used a card catalog. But since 1995, they have used an electronic system. This system went online in 1998, making it much easier to search for books!
Today, the library is responsible for collecting and keeping copies of all books and electronic media published in Austria. It also collects works by Austrian authors published abroad. The library works with universities and schools to help people learn.
The Amazing Prunksaal
The Prunksaal (which means State Hall) is the most famous part of the old imperial library. It's a stunning hall inside the Hofburg palace. Construction began in 1721 and was finished by 1723.
The hall is decorated with beautiful sculptures and ceiling paintings called frescoes. These frescoes show scenes of "war" and "peace." The main painting in the dome shows Emperor Charles VI as a hero, surrounded by figures that represent the good qualities of the Habsburg rulers.
Inside the hall, you'll see marble statues of emperors. In the center is a statue of Emperor Charles VI. There are also four huge globes made by Vincenzo Coronelli.
Cool Collections to Explore
The Austrian National Library has many special collections. Here are some of the most interesting ones:
Manuscripts and Rare Books
This collection has very old and unique handwritten books, some dating back to the 4th century! One famous item is the Vienna Dioscurides. It's an ancient book about plants and medicines, recognized by UNESCO as a world treasure.
Map Collection and Globe Museum
The library has a huge collection of maps, some from the 16th century. It also has the only public Globe Museum in the world! You can see over 380 globes, many made before 1850. Imagine seeing how people viewed the world hundreds of years ago!
Another amazing item is the Atlas Blaeu-Van der Hem. This is a 50-volume set with over 2,400 maps and drawings. It's considered one of the most beautiful atlases ever made.
Papyrus Collection and Papyrus Museum
The library has the largest papyrus collection in the world! It includes about 180,000 items from ancient times, like writings on papyrus, clay tablets, wood, and even gold. This collection is also recognized by UNESCO for its global importance.
You can visit the Papyrus Museum inside the library to see about 200 of these ancient objects up close.
Music Collection
Since 1826, the music collection has gathered many musical scores and first editions of works by famous composers like Anton Bruckner. It also has recordings and handwritten notes from composers.
Incunabula, Old and Precious Prints
This collection holds "Incunabula" – books printed before the year 1500. It's one of the five largest collections of these very old printed books in the world. It also includes rare and valuable prints from later centuries.
Planned Languages and Esperanto Museum
This unique department collects materials about "planned languages," which are languages that were created by people, like Esperanto.
Women's and Gender Studies
This department, called Ariadne, focuses on collecting and sharing publications about women and gender studies. It helps highlight the contributions of women throughout history in Austria.
Austrian Web Archive
Since 2009, the library has been saving websites! This is like taking snapshots of the internet. They collect websites about topics like politics, media, and important events like the pandemic. This helps future generations see what the internet looked like and what was happening in Austria.
See also
- Codex Vindobonensis B 11093
- Codex Vindobonensis Philos. 75
- Codex Vindobonensis Philos. 157
- Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I
- Codex Vindobonensis Lat. 502
- Fayyum Fragment (P. Vienna G. 2325)
