The French National Libraby Paris : Paris Tourism

Timetable : Upper garden: opens from tuesday to saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On sundays from 12 a.m. to 7 p.m. Garden floor: from tuesday to saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. In 1987 the members of the government asked for a second national library according to a national report which stated the congestion of the first national library. The President Francois Mitterrand engaged himself in creating “the largest and the most modern library on Earth”. This incredible project aimed to offer the total knowledge to all kinds of public (scientists and individuals) via all kinds of modern data transfer and distance consultation. The chosen site was Tolbiac, on the left bank of the Seine above the Austerlitz train station. An international competition was organised to select the architect. The President of the jury, Leoh Ming Pei, to whom we owe the Pyramide du Louvre, declared Dominique Perrault’s project to be chosen. The buildings represent four opened books with a view on the central garden from the terrace and from the reading rooms. The total surface is of 250 000 square meters. Each of the four towers has a name : the tower of Numbers, of Laws, of Letters, and of Time. Inside the towers there are offices and bookshops. The first two floors welcome individuals and scientists with general reading rooms and special ones reserved for scientists. 480 000 books, 100 000 scanned books, and 28 000 multimedia documents are accessible… you`re sure to find the book that fits you!