The Zentralbibliothek Zürich is the main library of both the city and the University of Zurich, in Switzerland. It was founded in 1914 by merging the former cantonal and city libraries. It is housed in the Predigerkloster, the former Black Friars' abbey, in the Rathaus quarter of the old town. The adjoining Predigerkirche and the music department are listed in the Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance.
It holds about 5.1 million items, including 3.9 million printed volumes and 124,000 manuscripts. Its roots lie in the library of the Grossmünster abbey, first attested in 1259.
Much of the abbey library was lost during the Swiss Reformation, including a book burning on September 14, 1525. From 1532 Konrad Pellikan rebuilt the collection, notably by purchasing Zwingli's private library.
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