Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Where it is & how to get there

• Taxi: On the Corniche in Shatby, 10 minutes from downtown.
• Tram: Shatby tram stop is nearby.
• On foot: About 25 minutes along the Corniche from Raml Station.

The story of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The ancient Library of Alexandria, founded in the 3rd century BC, aimed to collect all the knowledge of the world before it was lost. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, designed by Snøhetta and opened in 2002, revives that spirit near the original site.

Its tilted circular roof looks like a sun rising from the sea, and its granite outer wall is carved with letters from scripts all over the world. Inside are a vast reading room, museums of antiquities and manuscripts, and a planetarium.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Join a guided tour.
• Join a guided tour to see the main reading room.
• Visit the Antiquities and Manuscripts museums inside.

What's around the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

• CornicheSeafront promenade outside the library.
• Citadel of QaitbayAcross the Eastern Harbour.
• Roman Amphitheatre (Kom el-Dikka)Roman theatre in the city centre.
• Alexandria National MuseumMuseum of the city's history.

Questions travellers ask