VO161 A Unique Opportunity to Visit the Sainte-Genevieve university library

Thursday, October 16th

The Sainte-Geneviève Library overlooks the Pantheon. It is both a public and university library which houses the 6th century collection from the Abbey Ste Genevieve. It has evolved into an encyclopedic library for scholars, students, and the general public, containing the largest and richest collection of books about all aspects of theology, the arts and science.

Henri Labrouste, one of the most original architects to use iron-frame construction in the mid 1850s, built this magnificent iron-structure building allowing exceptional lightness and natural illumination. On the façade of the library, Labrouste inscribed in stone, the names of 810 great thinkers expressing the chain of human thought from Moses to the 19th century.

The entrance hall holds a number of busts of authors and scientists whose books are found in the library. We will see archeological artifacts and antique books. The reading room is breathtaking with its 19th deco, the bright light gleaming trough the unusual pillars and arches.

Many students from the neighboring lycees, study here for their preparatory exams for entrance to the Grandes Ecoles.

Our private tour was especially timed to take place prior to the students’ arrival.