The libraries in Austria
were extraordinary, as nearly all of them were in monasteries and truly
the best-kept secrets. i am so grateful to professor friedrich Krinzinger,
who wrote the main text for the book and whose education was in
the Kremsmünster Monastery school; and to his brother, who was
a senior priest in Kremsmünster Abbey. thanks to them, i had good
introductions and privileged access to other monastery libraries.
throughout the creation of this book, i noticed three distinct groupings
emerge. the first encompasses Austrian and German libraries, which
are really all parts of monastic establishments, integrated with
the imperial residences. these structures were built mostly in the
countryside with vast lands surrounding them. the second group
belongs to the Anglo-saxon university/college libraries mostly placed
within the great campuses such as oxford and cambridge. the third
is reserved for the french bibliotheques built in the manner of grand
edifice, like the architecture of the pantheon in rome. You enter
from a narrow small doorway and suddenly you experience the vast
architectural space of the library. this was the case in la salle ovale
and la salle labrouste of the Bibliothèque nationale de france and
the library of sainte-Geneviève.
As a fine art book publisher and a rare book collector, i have a
passion for beautiful books. each individual book in these libraries
has its unique features and deserves the utmost admiration for its
binding, typography and naturally, its content. the accumulation of
books in great historical european libraries is beyond the imagination
of any book lover. their amazing architecture achieved by master
craftsmen is a statement of excellence. these ancient libraries were
"palaces of enlightenment." it was an amazing experience to see
these institutions when they were overpowered and occupied by
books only, in their own silence n Temples of Knowledge, photography
by Ahmet Ertug templesofknowledge.com; ahmetertug.com
apr + may
2011
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