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Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra. Photo: Jl FilpoC, CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Biblioteca_Joanina,_Coimbra.jpgDownload 1920px
Biblioteca Joanina
Coimbra, Portugal, 1717–28
Two colonies of bats hunt the insects that eat paper. Each evening the tables are covered with leather
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Worth knowing
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: At the end of each day the staff cover the tables with leather cloths, so the bats' droppings do not damage them overnight.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: The middle floor housed the guards who watched the prison below. Its stones still carry the marks each stonemason cut to claim payment for his work.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: The old books are still read. Readers request about 750 works from the library in an average year.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: The shelves are oak. The university says the wood's smell helps keep paper-eating insects away.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: The three halls of the Noble Floor are told apart by the ground colour of their gilded shelves: black in the first, red in the second, green in the third.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: Two colonies of bats have lived in the library for about two and a half centuries. They hunt the insects that feed on paper.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: Under the library is the university's academic prison. It is of medieval origin and is the oldest prison preserved in Portugal.
Biblioteca Joanina, worth knowing: Until 1834 the university had its own law and its own jail, so that professors, staff and students were not locked up with common criminals.
Built
Biblioteca Joanina, built: 1717-1728; three great rooms divided by decorated arches
Biblioteca Joanina, built: Named for its founder King John V of Portugal, who began construction in 1717. Received its first books in 1750.
Biblioteca Joanina, built: Painting executed by Domenico Dupra in 1725
Biblioteca Joanina, built: Construction was completed in 1728. The building served as the University Library from 1777 until the first half of the 20th century.
Architect
Biblioteca Joanina, architect: English Wikipedia infobox names the architect as João Carvalho Ferreira; style Baroque.
Biblioteca Joanina, architect: Shelves painted and gilded by Manuel da Silva
Size
Biblioteca Joanina, size: About 1250 square metres of usable area today, gained by arranging two levels of cellars.
Biblioteca Joanina, size: The exterior walls are 2.11 m thick. The university describes the building as a vault designed to preserve books.
Volumes
Biblioteca Joanina, volumes: Nearly 60,000 volumes across the three floors, printed across Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries. This is the university's own figure.
Collection
Biblioteca Joanina, collection: two-storied gilt shelves throughout
Biblioteca Joanina, collection: Constant temperature of 18-20 C
Biblioteca Joanina, collection: Six embossed tables of tropical woods stand in the halls. A portrait of King John V by Domenico Duprà hangs on the Noble Floor.
Status today
Biblioteca Joanina, status today: the library exhibits the Portuguese national coat of arms
Biblioteca Joanina, status today: Designated UNESCO World Heritage in 2013 as part of the University of Coimbra (reference 1387).
Biblioteca Joanina, status today: Added to the biennial World Monuments Watch list in 2014.
What happened here
1717Biblioteca Joanina, founded, 1717: Construction begun under King John V
1728Biblioteca Joanina, built, 1728: Construction completed
1750Biblioteca Joanina, opened, 1750: Library receives its first books
Photographs
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Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra. Photo: Josep Renalias, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Universitat_de_Co%C3%AFmbra_-_Biblioteca.JPGDownload 1920px
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Middle floor of the Biblioteca Joanina, Coimbra. Photo: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coimbra,_Biblioteca_Joanina,_piso_m%C3%A9dio_(3).jpgDownload 1920px
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Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra. Photo: Marmontel, CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Biblioth%C3%A8que_Joanina_(51543687655).jpgDownload 1920px
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Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra. Photo: Chris, CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BibliotecaJoaninaExterior.jpgDownload 1920px
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Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra. Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coimbra_November_2012-7.jpgDownload 1920px