At the meeting point of the three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, Egypt has been the cradle of civilizations since ancient times. The ancient city of Alexandria, one of the glories of antiquity, was at the beginning of the third century B.C. the birthplace of the great plan to build a library: the Alexandrian Library.

After more than 4000 years of development of the Pharaonic culture, the Greek dynasties, begun with the Ptolemies, made it possible for Alexandria to be the world's intellectual and commercial capital and metropolis. The Library they built there, became the world's first university with its college scholars including such famous names as Euclid, Erastosthenes, Heron and Archimedes, to name but a few.

The great library, which also served as a publishing house, was built at the side of the museum. Anticipating our modern libraries in the way it was run, it had a catalogue of all the works it possessed - 700,000 of listed and classified manuscripts already in the third century BC - and enjoyed "legal deposit rights", thereby, being entitled to make a copy of every book that entered the country.

But a fire, which ravaged Alexandria, destroyed the library, this vast storehouse of learning. The Egyptian Government, in close co-operation with UNESCO, decided to build a new library in Alexandria to endow this part of the world with an important focal point for culture, education and science.

Inspirated from the Ancient Library of Alexandria, the most famous library of antiquity, the international community has taken the first step towards effacing the disaster caused by the fire, for more than 1600 years ago, by supporting the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandrina Project. This modern public research institution will serve scholars, researchers and the public at large.

The revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria Project aims at building a universal modern public library to be a center of culture, science and academic research.

The library is to provide both the national and international communities of scholars and researchers with unique collections and facilities focusing on Alexandrian, Egyptian, ancient and medieval civilizations as well as on contemporary disciplines. The Library will also have valuable collections of science and technology resource materials to help the socio-economic and cultural development of Egypt and the region.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina will sponsor intensive studies on the historical, and contemporary cultural heritage of the region.

Utilizing the most up-to-date information technologies, the strikingly beautiful new Library is connected to major centres of learning all over the world. It will eventually be able to contain up to 8 million volumes, with special collections on Mediterranean civilizations, as well as large collections on science and technology, the humanities and the arts.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina complex includes a Conference Centre, Planetarium, International School of Information Studies, Young People’s Library, Library for the Blind, Science Museum, Calligraphy Museum, as well as a Restoration Laboratory for rare manuscripts, thus making it a unique meeting place of civilizations.

Location
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina lies alongside the University of Alexandria Faculty of Arts campus, in Shatby, and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea along a substantial portion of its northern frontage.

At Selsela, it is almost the same site of the ancient library-museum complex within the Royal Quarter, in the district then known as the Brocheum, where a few remains of the Graceo-Roman civilization were recently uncovered and is displayed in the Library museum.

At the panoramic vista across the circular Eastern Port stands diametrically and serenely the old Mameluke Citadel of Qait Bey, built in 1480 on the site of the famous Pharos Lighthouse.

Design of the new building
Remarkable in its architecture yet resolutely functional, the main Library building is shaped like a long cylinder 160 meters wide with the top truncated at an angle. The angle of the roof counters harmful effects of sea spray and allows the upper stories of the Library to enjoy natural light. The roof symbolizes the dissemination of knowledge among the different peoples and nations of the world.

The design concept is a simple circle inclined towards the sea, partly submerged in a pool of water, the image of the Egyptian sun, that in contemporary terms will illuminate the world and human civilization. Moreover, an inclined roof allows indirect daylight and a clear view of the sea. Designed as an arrow, an elevated passageway links the University of Alexandria to the Corniche. The building is surrounded by a wall clad with Aswan granite engraved with calligraphic letters and representative inscriptions from the world civilizations.

This timely conceptualization symbolizes a unique form cum fiction, which combines the heritage of the region with the intended revival of cultural radiance to reach the corners of the universe.

Officially Inaugurated on 16 October
The Egyptian Government has announced that the Official Inauguration Ceremony for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina that was postponed from 23 April 2002, due to events in the Middle East, will now take place on 16 October 2002 in Alexandria, Egypt.

The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina will be inaugurated by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the presence of Heads of State and other dignitaries from around the world on 16 October 2002 in Alexandria, Egypt.

The Library complex is already open to visitors.

Tag: The Revival of the Ancient Alexandrian Library