The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a symbol of rebirth. The ancient library, the greatest repository of knowledge in the classical world, perished many centuries ago. But in 2002, a new temple of knowledge opened on the same site—the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, an architectural masterpiece and cultural center of world significance.

The Legend of the Ancient Library

The ancient Library of Alexandria was founded around 300 BCE by Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great's generals. The mission was ambitious: to gather all the world's knowledge under one roof.

Collection methods were ruthless. Every ship entering Alexandria's harbor was searched for books. Scrolls were confiscated, copied (sometimes copies were returned while originals stayed in the library), and catalogued.

At its peak, the library held between 400,000 and 700,000 scrolls. The greatest scholars of antiquity worked here: Euclid, Archimedes, Eratosthenes (who first calculated Earth's circumference). This was the Google and Harvard of the ancient world combined.

How the library perished remains debated. Most likely it was gradual decline: fire during Caesar's siege, destruction under Aurelian, decrees of Christian emperors. By the 5th century, nothing remained of the greatest book repository.

Rebirth: Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The idea to revive the library emerged in 1974. The project was supported by UNESCO, the Egyptian government, and the international community. Construction began in 1995, with opening in 2002.

The architectural competition was won by Norwegian firm Snøhetta. Their design—a tilted disk partially submerged in the ground—symbolizes the rising sun of knowledge over the Mediterranean.

The project cost approximately $220 million. Funding came from around the world: Saudi Arabia contributed $20 million, Iraq (under Saddam) $21 million, with dozens of countries participating.

Architecture

The main building is a giant tilted cylinder 160 meters in diameter. The aluminum and glass roof admits natural light while protecting books from direct sunlight. The reading room descends in terraces toward the sea—one of the world's largest reading halls.

The exterior wall is clad in Aswan granite carved with symbols from 120 world alphabets: from hieroglyphics to Cyrillic, Chinese characters to Braille. This is a message about the unity of human knowledge.

Nearby stand a conference center, planetarium, and several museums. The entire complex sits on the Corniche waterfront, overlooking the Mediterranean.

Collections and Museums

The library is designed for 8 million books, though currently houses about 2 million. Special pride includes the rare manuscripts collection and facsimile editions of ancient texts.

The Internet Archive donated a copy of its collection to the library—10 billion web pages. Thus the ancient idea—gathering all world knowledge—has taken digital form.

The complex houses several museums: the Antiquities Museum (with artifacts found during construction), Manuscript Museum, Sadat Museum, History of Science Museum. The planetarium offers shows about the universe.

Cultural Center

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is more than just a library. Conferences, exhibitions, lectures happen here. Concert halls host classical and Arabic music. An art gallery displays contemporary works.

Four specialized libraries operate: for children, young adults, visually impaired, and multimedia. Open access is the principle: anyone can enter the reading room.

Practical Information

The library is on the Corniche, 20 minutes from the train station. Open daily except Friday (10:00-19:00). Entry to the reading room and exhibitions requires a ticket. Tours are available in multiple languages.

Allow 2-3 hours for unhurried exploration. The architecture alone deserves attention. The planetarium requires a separate ticket and advance booking.

Atmosphere and Tips

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a rare example of a grand idea successfully realized. Where the greatest repository of antiquity once stood, a new knowledge center has risen. This is a place that inspires regardless of your reading habits.

After walking through the tourist bazaars of Cairo, the library feels like another Egypt: modern, ambitious, forward-looking. This is a symbol that the country is more than pyramids and temples—it's a living civilization continuing the ancient tradition of knowledge.