The Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria was designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta, which won a 1988 UNESCO competition against 524 other entries. Work began in 1995, and it was inaugurated on October 16, 2002. The article names no style, saying the building imitates a rising sun. UNESCO organized the competition, and the site was chosen in 1974.
The circular roof is about 160 meters (525 feet) across, 32 meters (105 feet) high and tilted toward the sea, with a glass panel covering. Gray granite walls are carved with characters from 120 scripts. The main reading room has 20,000 square meters (220,000 square feet) over eleven cascading levels.
The complex also holds a conference centre, specialized libraries, museums, a planetarium and a manuscript restoration lab. Pledges of $65 million were made in 1990, with about $220 million more spent on construction. It closed briefly during the 2011 revolution.
Comments