Prunkshall Library, Vienna

The building itself dates back to the 18th Century, when Emperor Charles VI wanted a new place to house his books. The Emperor had his architect design the court library, the Prunksaal. The word library really does not seem fit to describe it, it is almost 80 meters long and over 14 meters wide, with a domed ceiling nearly 20 meters tall.

The National Library is part of the Hofburg complex and exhibits over 200,000 old leather bound books, which include the comprehensive library of Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Although the building itself dates from the 18th Century, its foundations date back to the middle ages, when Duke Albert III (1349-1395) moved the books from vaults, into a library. Duke Albert also arranged for works to be translated into German.