Vienna - Austrian National Library Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
The Austrian National Library is housed in the commanding Baroque building on Josefsplatz. It was built during the reign of Charles VI to plans by Fischer von Erlach, father and son, between 1723 and 1726. Nikolaus Pacassi made some changes in 1763-69. The Baroque building was originally free standing, but it was linked by the Redouten range (seriously damaged by fire in 1992 and now being rebuilt) to the Hofburg in 1760. The huge central section is crowned by a group of statues depicting the goddess Minerva with her chariot, drawn by four steeds; it is by L. Mattielli and dates from 1725. The National Library, formerly the Court Library, came into the possession of the state in 1920 and is now one of the world's major libraries.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Its extensive collection goes back to the 14th C. The first Imperial Library Director was appointed in the 16th C., and in the 17th C. the collections were kept in the upper story of the Reitschule. By the 18th C. there was no longer enough space available in the "Burg" and it was obvious that a new building would have to be provided. The total collection of the National Library amounts at present to some 2.5million books. In addition, there are the following special collections: prints, manuscripts and incunabula, maps and globes, papyri, portraits and photographic archives, music and theatrical collections and an Esperanto museum. The "New" building long ago became too small, and it was necessary to expand into the south wing on Josefsplatz and into the Neue Burg.
The library often hosts special exhibitions.
The library often hosts special exhibitions.
Hours
January 1 to May 1
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Closed |
| Close | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 |
May 2 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Closed |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
November 1 to December 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Closed |
| Close | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 |
Related Attractions
Austrian National Library Augustine Reading Room
The historic Augustine Reading Room in the Austrian National Library (Augustiner Lesesaal) was decorated by Johann Bergl in 1773 with beautiful frescoes depicting the Four Faculties.
Austrian National Library Esperanto Museum
The Esperanto Museum is housed in the Neue Burg (entrance behind the Prince Eugene Memorial). The basis of the collection consists of the works and stock of the International Esperanto Museum of Vienna, founded in 1927 and taken over by the National Library in 1928. Today the special collection is made up of more than 17,000 volumes; 260 periodicals are being authenticated and put into the archives, including gazettes from China and Korea. As well as text books, autographs, posters and articles written in Esperanto, the museum also exhibits translations of the Bible, Dante's "Divine Comedy", works by Goethe, Heine, Raimund and Vicki Baum.
Austrian National Library Hall of Honor
The Hall of Honor in the Austrian National Library is one of the most splendid of Baroque rooms. Designed by Fischer von Erlach, father and son, it measures 77.7m/250ft long, 14·3m/46ft wide and 19.6m/65ft high. The ceiling frescoes in the massive dome were painted in honor of Charles VI by Daniel Gran in 1730 and restored by Maulpertsch in 1769; the life size marble statues are by Paul and Peter von Strudel (c. 1700). In the middle stand 15,000 gold-stamped books from what was once Prince Eugene of Savoy's library. The Hall of Honor is used for temporary exhibitions.
Hours
May 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 13:00 |
Austrian National Library Manuscript Collection
The manuscript collection on the second floor of the Austrian National Library contains nearly 43,000 sixth C. manuscripts, 8,000 incunabula and some 24,000 autographs. Among the most impressive manuscripts held are the "Vienna Dioskurides", a Byzantine herbalist's treatise, written and illustrated c. 512; the sixth C. "Vienna Genesis"; St Peter's Antiphonary (c. 1160); the "Wenzel Bible" from Prague (1390/95); the beautifully illustrated "Livre du couer d'amour espris" by Count René d'Anjou (c. 1465); the "Black Prayer Book" of Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza (c. 1470), one of the most valuable examples of Flemish illuminated manuscripts; the Ambras Book of Heroes (16th C.) and a 15th C. Gutenberg Bible from Mainz.
Austrian National Library Map Collection and Globe Museum
The Map Collection on the third floor of the Austrian National Library currently comprises about 240,000 sheets of maps and 280,000 geographical views. The most valuable items are the copy of a fourth C. Roman map for travelers, the 46-volume Blaeu Atlas, dating from the second half of the 17th C., and a map of the world made for Charles V in 1551. The Globe Museum contains almost 150 exhibits; particularly impressive are two Mercator globes (c. 1550), four Coronelli globes (17th c.) and a magnificently colored celestial globe by Eimmart dating from 1705.
Austrian National Library Music Collection
The Music Collection in the Austrian National Library is also housed in the Albertina. Among the holdings are precious manuscripts and original scores, including Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Haydn's National Anthem, Franz Schubert's autograph, some of the papers left by Anton Bruckner and the score of Richard Strauss's "Rosenkavalier".
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:00 | 12:00 | 9:00 | 12:00 | 9:00 | Closed | Closed |
| Close | 13:00 | 15:45 | 13:00 | 18:45 | 13:00 |
Austrian National Library Papyrus Collection
The Papyrus Collection in the Austrian National Library, one of the largest in the world, is housed in the buildings of the Albertina. Because of building work it will probably remain closed until 1998; for information regarding special exhibitions during this period tel. 5 34 83. Most of the 100,000 papyri come from Egypt and date from the 15th century B.C. to the 14th century A.D. The most precious possessions are three Egyptian Books of the Dead (the oldest dating from the 15th C. B.C.) and one of the oldest Greek papyri (fourth C. B.C.).
Austrian National Library Picture Archive
The Picture Archive and Portrait Collection (entrance Heldenplatz, Corps de Logis) of the Austrian National Library comprises over 1.5million items and 120,000 volumes of specialist literature. It is the largest and most important institution for the specialist collection of pictorial documentation in Austria, and contains negatives, graphics and photographs of every variety and produced by every known technique.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | Closed | 9:00 | Closed | Closed |
| Close | 18:45 | 15:45 | 15:45 | 15:45 |
Austrian National Library Printed Material
About 2.5million volumes of the prints housed in the Neue Burg have been catalogued. There is also an open shelf collection of about 56,000 volumes for ready reference at the Austrian National Library.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | Closed |
| Close | 19:45 | 19:45 | 19:45 | 19:45 | 19:45 | 13:00 |
