The most luxurious libraries in the world are the Vatican Apostolic Library, the Library of Congress, Trinity College Library in Dublin, the Abbey Library of St Gall and Admont Abbey Library. We rank them by architecture, interiors and the treasures on the shelves, with the facts rechecked in October 2026.
| Rank | Library | Place | Key figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vatican Apostolic Library | Vatican City | 75,000 codices, 1.1 million printed books |
| 2 | Library of Congress | Washington, D.C. | About 173 million items |
| 3 | Trinity College Library | Dublin | Long Room: 65 m, 200,000 oldest books |
| 4 | Abbey Library of St Gall | St Gallen | 2,100 manuscripts, 1650 incunabula |
| 5 | Admont Abbey Library | Austria | 70 m hall, 200,000 volumes |
Nothing beats the smell and rustle of a real page, and a few places have made reading into an occasion. People have kept books safe since the age of Ramesses II, and the inscription over the door at St Gall, “healing place for the soul”, traces back to the library of that pharaoh. Here are the five libraries where the room matters as much as the book.
5. Admont Abbey Library, Austria
Admont’s library hall was built in 1776 by architect Joseph Hueber in late-Baroque gilded style, and it is 70 meters long, 14 meters wide and 13 meters high. The abbey says it holds the largest monastic library in the world. About 70,000 volumes sit in the hall, out of roughly 200,000 in the whole collection, along with over 1,400 manuscripts and over 900 incunabula. Seven cupolas carry frescoes by Bartolomeo Altomonte. The 1865 fire destroyed almost the whole monastery, but the library was saved.
4. Abbey Library of St Gall, Switzerland
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, this is the oldest library in Switzerland. The Rococo hall by Peter Thumb was built between 1758 and 1767. The collection has almost 160,000 volumes, 1650 incunabula and 2,100 manuscripts from the 8th to the 15th century, kept in glass cases topped by carved cherubs. Manuscript B of the Nibelungenlied is here, and so is the mummy of Shep-en-Isis, an odd guest in a monastery.
3. Trinity College Library, Ireland
The largest library in Ireland began with the founding of Trinity College in 1592. Its Long Room is 65 meters (213 feet) long, was built between 1712 and 1732, and houses 200,000 of the library’s oldest books beneath marble busts. Since 2022 it has been under a restoration project worth €90 million, with €25 million from the government, so expect scaffolding and a changing visitor experience.
The Book of Kells, an 8th-century manuscript that arrived in 1661, is on display here, with one of its four volumes shown at any time. The Brian Boru harp also lives in the Old Library. Four marble busts of female scholars (Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, Augusta Gregory and Mary Wollstonecraft) were added to the room in 2020.
2. Library of Congress, United States
The Library of Congress holds about 173 million items, its collection filling roughly 838 miles of shelves, according to the library. It was founded in 1800. British forces burned the library in 1814, destroying over 3,000 volumes, and Thomas Jefferson sold his personal collection of 6,487 books to rebuild it. A second fire in 1851 destroyed two thirds of those books. The Main Reading Room is open to researchers with a Reader Identification Card, and borrowing outside is not allowed.
1. The Vatican Apostolic Library
Pope Nicholas V began gathering a public library at the Vatican in 1451, combining some 350 Greek, Latin and Hebrew codices with his own collection. It was formally established by Pope Sixtus IV on 15 June 1475. Today it holds 75,000 codices and 1.1 million printed books, including some 8,500 incunabula. It opens to anyone who can document their qualifications and research needs, so this is a study library, not a sightseeing stop.
Digitisation of its manuscripts started in 2014 and puts part of the treasure online. It takes first place for the age and weight of what it keeps, wrapped in rooms painted by Renaissance masters.
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FAQ
What is the most beautiful library in the world?
Our top pick is the Vatican Apostolic Library, followed by the Library of Congress and Trinity College Library in Dublin.
How long is the Trinity College Long Room?
It is 65 meters (213 feet) long and houses 200,000 of the library’s oldest books.
Which is the largest monastic library?
Admont Abbey says its library is the largest monastic library in the world, with roughly 200,000 volumes in the collection.
How many items does the Library of Congress hold?
About 173 million items, filling roughly 838 miles of shelves.
Can you visit the Vatican Library?
It is a research library open to anyone who can document their qualifications and research needs.
How we put this list together
We rank on architecture, interiors and the rarity of the collection, using each library’s own statements and heritage records, rechecked in October 2026. Where figures differ between sources we use the one the library gives.
Last updated: October 2026.
