Biblioteca Nacional de España – Spanish National Library

HISTORY:

It was founded by King Philip V of Spain in 1712 and it was originally located in the Royal Palace. He made a law for printers to send a copy to the royal library of every book printed in Spain.

THE BUILDING:

The building dates from 1866 and it was first open to the public in 1896.

In the front entrance you can see six sculptures:

• Lope de Vega: Considered the greatest playwrith of the Spanish Golden Age.
• King Alfonso X: nicknamed “The Wise” for its intellectual commitment.
• Cervantes: author of The Quixote.
• Saint Isidore of Seville: author of Etymologiae (an encyclopedia) in the 7th century.
• Luis Vives: renaissance philosopher.
• Nebrija: author of the first grammar of Castilian language.

In the pediment we can see the representation of Genius and Studies, allegories of  sciences and fine arts and, in the apex, the woman figure depicts Spain.

The figures in the pediment award those who enter the library with a crow of bays, emblem of wisdom.

CURIOSITIES:

It is impossible to give and exact number (as it always changing and the count depends on the criteria), but the number of documents in all media is estimated at 20,000,000 pieces, counting books, brochures, leaflets, magazines, newspapers, incunabula, manuscripts, drawings, prints, photographs, bookplates, ephemera, posters, maps, drawings, postcards, sheet music, sound recordings and audiovisual, microform, electronic publications … [Source: BNE]

PRACTICAL INFO:

Web: http://www.bne.es/en/Inicio/index.html

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