The French national library dates from the 14th century. In the 17th, the royal collection was moved to what is now the Richelieu Library, a block-sized complex in the 2nd, not far from its former home in the Louvre. The Richelieu has undergone many changes over the centuries, the latest renovation quite recently. The main national library is now the Mitterand Library, in the 13th. The Oval Reading Room is open to the public, and we did a perambulation of sorts. The Oval Reading Room is comparable, of course, with the beautiful main reading room in the Jefferson building of the Library of Congress in DC. Must-see for librarians, retired librarians, book and library lovers.
 |
| Entry view |
 |
| Ceiling |
 |
| Ample interpretive information; and in English too |
 |
Since this is a general reading room, there is plenty of kiddie stuff
all around |
 |
| Curious devices all around the periphery of the room |
 |
| Part of the HVAC system; belle epoque HVAC |
 |
| Displays on printing, books, the collection, all about |
 |
Interesting staircase; the other portions of the complex
are just as stunning as the Oval Salle, from what I've seen
of pix on the web |
 |
| Interior courtyard; of course there is a cafe, etc. |
1 comment:
Oh, wow! What a staircase!
Post a Comment