Where is the world’s oldest known library building?
Quick Answer
One of the oldest surviving library buildings is the Library of Celsus in Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey. It was built in the 2nd century CE.
The Full Story
The Library of Celsus stood in ancient Ephesus, near modern-day Selçuk in Turkey. It was built around 135 CE as a monumental tomb and library for the Roman senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus. Although the library’s interior did not survive intact, the ornate façade was reconstructed in the 20th century and remains one of the most famous Roman monuments in the eastern Mediterranean. The building reflects the importance of learning and elite patronage in the Roman Empire. It is a major archaeological attraction and a symbol of Ephesus’s former wealth.
Key Facts
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