9 oldest libraries in the world

Source: oldest.org Image: Shutterstock [{ "selector": ".zfufa-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "750ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0, "visibility" :"visible"}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1", "visibility" :"visible"} ] }, { "selector": ".fsfqn-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0, "visibility" :"visible"}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1", "visibility" :"visible"} ] }]

Libraries have stood as pillars of knowledge and bastions of progress since ancient times. Image: wikipedia.org/Public domain

Let's rewind the clock and look at some of the oldest libraries in the world! Image: Pexels

9. Al-Qarawiyyin Library

Established: 859 AD Located: Fez, Morocco It is part of the oldest continuously operating university in the world, the University of al-Qarawiyyin. Image: wikipedia.org/Hiroki Ogawa

8. Saint Catherine’s Monastery Library

Established: 545-568 AD Located: Sinai, Egypt It is the oldest library still in existence and preserves the second-largest collection of ancient codices and manuscripts, after the Vatican. Image: wikimedia.org/Florian Prischl

7. Imperial Library of Constantinople

Established: 337-361 AD Located: Istanbul, Turkey The ancient world’s last great library, destroyed in 1204 is the source of nearly all the Greek classics known today. Image: wikipedia.org/Public domain

6. Theological Library of Caesarea Maritima

Established: 250-300 AD Located: Caesarea, Israel It was the the largest Christian library of its time, consisting of more than 30,000 manuscripts. It was destroyed in 638 AD. Image: wikipedia.org/Public domain

5. Library of Pergamum

Established: 197 AD Located: Pergamum, Turkey It was a stark rival to the Library of Alexandria and is said to have housed 200,000 manuscripts. It was destroyed around 262 AD. Image: wikipedia.org/Public domain

4. Library of Alexandria

Established: 300-201 BC Located: Alexandria, Egypt It was the largest library in the ancient world, said to have been founded by Alexander the Great. It is believed to have been destroyed around 30 BC. Image: wikipedia.org/Public domain

3. Royal Library of Ashurbanipal

Established: 668 BC Located: Mosul, Iraq It was named after Ashurbanipal, the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Image: wikipedia.org/Gary Todd

2. Ugarit Library

Established: 1200-1400 BC Located: Ras Shamra, Syria The Ugarit archives, discovered in 1929 uncovered multiple libraries, including a palace library, a temple library and two private libraries. Image: wikipedia.org/BabelStone

1. Ebla Library

Established: 2500-2250 BC Located: Mardikh, Syria The Royal Library of the ancient Kingdom of Ebla is thought to be the oldest library in the world. Image: wikipedia.org/ALFGRN

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