Inside 10 of the world's most ancient and beautiful libraries

Nothing beats the smell of old novels, thegrandeur of the wooden tables, and the beauty of the ceiling-high book shelves.Like the booksthemselves, it's easy to spend a whole day in old libraries like these.Here are 10 of the most ancient from around the world.Librije in Zutphen, Netherlands.Instagram Embed:http://instagram.com/p/75plHJp85G/embed/Width: 800pxTheLibrije dates back to the 16th century and sits inside St. Walburga's Church, which was built in the 11th century.The books actually are not housed in shelves, but are chained to reading desks. Many of the oldest libraries locked up their collections to deter thieves.Wells Cathedral's library in Somerset, England.Instagram Embed:http://instagram.com/p/BDV_F4ZTARj/embed/Width: 800pxThe chained library at Wells Cathedral houses 2,800 volumes, some published as early as the buildingwas built in the mid-fifteenth century.Some highlights include Vesalius De Humanis Corporis Fabrica, a 1555 anatomy book,and the earliest complete atlas of the world by geographerAbraham Ortelius.Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy.Instagram Embed:http://instagram.com/p/ulI5tQIkFy/embed/Width: 800pxMichaelangelodesigned and built this library, whichopened in 1571.It has over 11,000 manuscripts and 5,000 books that once belongedto the private library of the Medici family. The floor of the reading room pictured above features 15 red and white terra cotta panels with geometric shapes.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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