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Austrian National Library
Visit one of the most beautiful historical libraries in the world
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Description
Emperor Charles VI commissioned the construction of this jewel of secular Baroque architecture for his court library. Built in 1723, the State Hall, with its 200,000 works of printed book art spanning 500 years, conveys an authentic image of the Baroque universal library of the 18th century.
The Austrian National Library is one of the visitor magnets in Vienna's Imperial Palace. In the former court library, however, books are only a supporting role: The impressive State Hall is almost 80 meters long and 30 meters high and is crowned by a massive dome in its center. The colorful fresco by court painter Daniel Gran depicts the "Deification" of Emperor Charles VI, who commissioned the construction of the library in 1723. This figure, also carved in marble, stands in the center of the central oval—directly below the dome. The other 16 statues depict rulers and noblemen from the Austro-Spanish Habsburg family.
More than 200,000 works from the years 1501 to 1850 are displayed on a total of 128 historic, richly decorated bookshelves and cabinets. Another 400,000 books are housed in the attic. Of particular note are the approximately 15,000-volume collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy, bound in red, blue, and yellow morocco leather, as well as one of the largest collections of Martin Luther's Reformation writings. The exhibits also include two magnificent Baroque Venetian globes: a terrestrial and a celestial globe, each with a diameter of over one meter.
The State Hall is rightly considered one of the most beautiful library halls in the world.
State Hall of the Austrian National Library
Josefsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Thursday until 9:00 p.m.
Open daily from June to September!
Admission per person: EUR 11,-
Children under 19 free (can only be purchased with at least one adult ticket)
Group rates for groups of 10 or more people and private tours upon request.
The Austrian National Library is one of the visitor magnets in Vienna's Imperial Palace. In the former court library, however, books are only a supporting role: The impressive State Hall is almost 80 meters long and 30 meters high and is crowned by a massive dome in its center. The colorful fresco by court painter Daniel Gran depicts the "Deification" of Emperor Charles VI, who commissioned the construction of the library in 1723. This figure, also carved in marble, stands in the center of the central oval—directly below the dome. The other 16 statues depict rulers and noblemen from the Austro-Spanish Habsburg family.
More than 200,000 works from the years 1501 to 1850 are displayed on a total of 128 historic, richly decorated bookshelves and cabinets. Another 400,000 books are housed in the attic. Of particular note are the approximately 15,000-volume collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy, bound in red, blue, and yellow morocco leather, as well as one of the largest collections of Martin Luther's Reformation writings. The exhibits also include two magnificent Baroque Venetian globes: a terrestrial and a celestial globe, each with a diameter of over one meter.
The State Hall is rightly considered one of the most beautiful library halls in the world.
State Hall of the Austrian National Library
Josefsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Thursday until 9:00 p.m.
Open daily from June to September!
Admission per person: EUR 11,-
Children under 19 free (can only be purchased with at least one adult ticket)
Group rates for groups of 10 or more people and private tours upon request.