If there's one library in Paris that you absolutely must visit on a weekend or during your vacation in the French capital, it's the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève (BSG for its French acronym), located in the Latin Quarter. In a word, it's sublime.
The origins of this library go back to ancient times, when Clovis built theAbbey of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Paris in the 6th century. Remember, we told you about this abbey and its church, the Eglise Sainte-Geneviève, in our article on the history of theEglise Saint-Etienne-du-Mont! In the 13th century, the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève was built on the top floor of the abbey, along with a copyist's workshop. But the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion put the brakes on its development.
It wasn't until the 17th century that the BSG grew to include 600 works, under the impetus of Cardinal de La Rouchefoucauld. The library's catalog was subsequently expanded by several major donors. By 1687, the library held 20,000 items, including 400 manuscripts and thousands of prints.
In the 18th century, the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève was no longer reserved solely for the elite and for archiving: it opened its doors to the public. During the Napoleonic Wars, the building welcomed no fewer than 20,000 new items and works confiscated from the enemy, making it a library of national importance. But that's a lot of books! So much so that the library had to move from the top floor of the abbey, now the Lycée Henri IV, to a new location.
Henri Labrouste designed the new library on the site of the former Collège de Montaigu. Construction lasted from 1844 to 1851, and the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève became the first library in France not to be attached to a palace, abbey or school. Labrouste turned the building into a fine example of the neo-Gothic style. Its exterior is unadorned, but once you step through the door, you discover the beautiful black-and-white marble floor of the vestibule and, above all, a majestic reading room on the second floor.
Designed to resemble a basilica, this brightly lit reading room boasts an astonishing iron structure and finely chiselled cast-iron columns. This is where students from neighboring universities still gather to study in peace and quiet, or to consult the library's 2 million documents.
But even if you're no longer a student, don't hesitate to drop in!
Raphaël Métivet
Location
Sainte-Geneviève Library
10 Place du Panthéon
75005 Paris 5
Prices
Free
