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Valencia Public Library in Europe (01:25)
Almost a year ago, I sat in the "devotional school library" in Madrid, and I was infinitely moved by the library that was reborn on the ruins of the church; Today, the hospital-turned-Valencian Public Library standing in front of me also touches me. In countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy, many old buildings have also been converted into libraries. Old buildings are given a new lease of life and become a gathering place for knowledge. It is a place where people meditate on the past and gain new inspiration and imagination.
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain with more than 2,000 years of history. It is a city rich in historical and cultural treasures and one of the cities with the most libraries. There are a total of 19 boroughs, each with at least one library, for a total of 31 libraries. These libraries are open year-round, warm in winter and cool in summer, have free internet, and host events and exhibitions.
I started from the central market in the city of Valencia and walked 8 minutes to a square. There are many palm trees in the square, and among the palm trees are dotted with mottled stone pillars, which seem to be from ancient Roman times. The Valencia Public Library is shaded by palm trees. Founded in 1838 as the main library of the city of Valencia, this library moved to its current location in 1979. Previously, the building where the library was located was a hospital.
The Valencia Public Library surrounded by palm trees
In 1409, on the initiative of the Spanish priest Joan Gilabert Jofré, the rich people of Valencia founded the hospital. Known as the "Hospital for Poor Innocents", it specializes in treating the mentally ill and was the first psychiatric hospital in Europe. In 1493, permission was granted for the extension of the hospital, and a nursing building in the shape of a Greek cross was born, where the library is now located. It had two tiers, with the lower class accepting male patients and the upper receiving female patients. The center of the two-story building is topped by an octagonal dome. Before the beginning of the 16th century, Valencia already had several hospitals, most of which were related to religious organizations, were good at treating a certain disease, and they were not large. In 1511, the Catholic King Ferdinand II of Aragon ordered that all the local hospitals be consolidated and placed here, so that the entire complex was renamed the Valencia General Hospital. In 1547, a fire destroyed the building, and it was later rebuilt. The Gothic-style door, currently located at the entrance to the library, is the only original that has survived before the fire.
It remained a hospital until 1960, when the Valencia Clinical Hospital was built. After that, the entire center was abandoned and the government decided to demolish the old buildings here. The demolition of churches, old pharmacies and medical schools sparked public outcry and protests. The nursing building finally survived the day before it was torn down. Other surviving buildings include the Convent of St. Lucia and a chapel called "El Capitulet". On November 28, 1963, Spain decreed that historic buildings that have not yet been demolished will be considered historical and artistic monuments. In 1979, the Ministry of Culture transformed the nursing building of the hospital into the Valencia Public Library.
I walked straight into the library, no access cards were needed, no one cared, and it was warm, spacious, and bright. The combination of pillars in the style of ancient Roman times and ceilings with modern features presents a unique dialogue between ancient and modern. Walk up to the atrium on the ground floor and look up to see a beautiful domed ceiling. In the center of the ceiling is a relief of the faithful surrounding the Virgin Mary, around which 8 cherubs surround.
Library entrance
Pillars in the ancient Roman style
The dome of the library
Library floor 1
The second floor of the library
Look down from the second floor of the library
Because the building is in the Greek Cross style, the library has set up the function of the library according to the architectural shape: various magazines are placed at the entrance; The left wing offers book borrowing services; On the right wing is the children's and adolescent library area, where the archives are stored in the rear, and the upper floors are humanities and science books. The library was quiet and I tried to hold my breath to visit. What attracted me the most was the children's area here. A set of 52 volumes of Science children's books caught my eye. The books are arranged together, and the pattern of the spine forms a complete picture. I've seen similar designs, but it's the first time I've seen such a spectacular. I saw crocodiles drawn by children framed and hung on the wall in the children's area. Children's graffiti becomes a backdrop wall in the children's area. There is also a large statue of Mafada on the wall. Mafada is a comic book character written by Argentine cartoonist Zino that is popular with young Spanish readers, and a favorite character of female writer Sanmao. Sanmao was the first to translate Mafada into Chinese edition of "Dolls See the World" to Chinese readers.
Children's area
Children's bookshelves
Science children's book
Mafada statue
I see parents bringing children here to read books, old couples with gray hair reading newspapers here, students wearing headphones are intently tapping on keyboards, disabled people in wheelchairs are looking up books on the computer in the library... It is said that more than 2,000 people come here every day to get information.
Today, the Valencia Public Library is one of the city's popular destinations, not only because of its history, its beauty, but also because of its practicality. Here, all citizens enjoy access to libraries and equal access to information, knowledge and culture. The American writer Sidney Sheldon once said, "Libraries store the energy that stimulates the imagination." They open windows into the world, inspire us to explore and fulfill, and help improve our quality of life. "If you don't know where to go in Valencia, come to the Valencia Public Library.
(Cui Ying: Journalist, columnist, Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, loves walking and literature, likes to collect old illustration books from all over the world, and has published books such as "British Illustrator", "British Illustration Book Collection", "Visiting Secretary" and so on.) ）