This is the largest and noblest of the palaces rooms. Caring for the libraries collections within these often historical buildings is key. Here they developed an ingenious and quite ecological way to combat vermin and insect destruction of the books. Among their tens of thousands of books are some truly rare copies like the first edition of os lusiadas often described as portugals equivalent of the illiad and. The bats are there to protect the ancient books from insect damage and every night for the last 300 years, the bats are let out and eat up to twice their weight in insects. Librarians at portugals biblioteca joanina and the mafra palace library, use special nighttime security guards to protect the priceless pages. The bats help preserve old books but they drive librarians, well. Both built in the 1700s, the portuguese mafra palace library and the joanina. These portuguese libraries are infested with batsand they. Bats act as pest control at two old portuguese libraries.
Some 125 miles to the south, just northwest of lisbon, another colony of indooroutdoor bats is in residence at the 300yearold library at the national palace of mafra. The mafra national palace has become home to one of the worlds most beautiful libraries. Slightly different in other ways as well to fit with the architecture of the building. The bats help preserve old books but they drive librarians. Austria library of policitians palace, except without the weird statue in the middle. When complete the building consisted of a friary capable of sheltering 330 friars, along with a royal palace and a huge library of 30,000 books, embellished with marble, exotic woods and countless artworks taken from france, flanders and italy, which included six monumental pipe organs and the two carillons. It is a rich and precious library in a fascinating setting. The mafra national palace in numbers a portuguese affair. Mafra, santana winery and sobreiro lisbon secretslisbon. It features two floors made of white, rose and grey marble. Bats act as pest control at the library of the palace of. Mafra palace library the wooden rococo bookshelves of the grand mafra palace library hold some 36,000 leatherbound volumes dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Nov 15, 2017 mafra national palace library, portugal nestled in portugals mafra national palace a baroque masterpiece built in the 18th century by order of king joao v is the incredible rococo library.
At night, bats patrol this magnificent 18th century space in search of bookeating pests. Whenever we speak about the mafra national palace, we immediately associate it with its library. At biblioteca joanina and the mafra palace library, both, curiously, located in portugal, and both built in the 18th century, small bats, about an inch long, act as guards against bookeating insects. Jul 16, 2017 among the most serious threats to library materials are pests. At the rococo library in portugals mafra national palace, a colony of bats is allowed to reside in the library to eat the bookdamaging bugs. Mafra palace library the most spectacular libraries in. The mafra national palace was built to commemorate the birth of the portuguese king john vs first child, the princess infanta barbara. The mafra palace library keeps a colony of bats on hand to keep its books from being. What stands out most in memory from my visit to the national palace of mafra is its library. Designed in the form of a cross, its marble floor is 90 meters long and 9.
During the night, the bats consume the insects that appear, eliminating the pest and assisting the maintenance of the stacks. When the portuguese royal family fled the napoleonic wars to brazil, they took thousands of literary works with them those works never returned to portugal and instead were used to found the national library of brazil. Mafra national palace library, portugal nestled in portugals mafra national palace a baroque masterpiece built in the 18th century by order of king joao v is the incredible rococo library. Bats or not, the mafra palace library is pure magic from the marble floors to the hand carved ceilings. Its the amazing convents library, dating from 1771, which holds a collection of more than 36. Mafra is known for its historicalartistic heritage and fantastic natural surroundings. A papal bull from 1745 forbids anyone in any time or in any way, to take, remove. The bats, which are less than an inch long, roost during the day behind the libraries bookcases. It features two floors made of white, rose and grey marble tiles with ornate wooden balconies along the top floors. The library is located in the hofburg palace in vienna. Aug 11, 2017 mafra palace interesting fact number 2. In any other context, it would be the main attraction rather than a small.
Both built in the 1700s, the portuguese mafra palace library and the joanina library at coimbra university are two historically and architecturally significant landmarks that double as treasure troves of a wealth of information. The library is known for homing bats which protect the books from insect damage. This magnificent library was completed in 1755 and holds leather bound books dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Jun 07, 2018 some 125 miles to the south, just northwest of lisbon, another colony of indooroutdoor bats is in residence at the 300yearold library at the national palace of mafra. Included in the visit is the basilica which has 6 organs from the 18th century. The bats are kept in boxes during the day but at night they are let out and eat up to double their own body weight in insects. Jul 09, 2019 the palace of mafra, which also served as a franciscan friary, was built for the queen of portugal. By looking down at the beautiful floor, the colorful marble will. See these beautiful pictures of mafra palace and you will.
Colonies of bats save beautiful ancient books in historic libraries in portugal by regularly eating masses of bookeating bugs. Taking a bat to library pests commonplace fun facts. Sep 19, 20 at biblioteca joanina and the mafra palace library, both, curiously, located in portugal, and both built in the 18th century, small bats, about an inch long, act as guards against bookeating insects. The most awesome library in the world is portuguese.
The impressive mafra national palace from the 18th century is known by its basilica with the carilons as well as the magnificent library. Oct 06, 2019 the mafra national palace has become home to one of the worlds most beautiful libraries. Where, to keep books from being damaged by insects, they uses 500 bats. What ancient bat rituals taught me about data preservation.
And one can imagine the little royal herself must have been delighted to explore its. The library attesting its importance, a papal bull of pope benedictus xv, from 1745, allows this library to shelter the index of prohibited books and forbids under excommunication to anyone of any state or condition, in any time or in any way, to take, remove or lend from the library without the permission of the portuguese king, any printed books or manuscripts inhere stored. In this cosy village you can find a wide range of monuments and spots that are declared world heritage by unesco. The mafra national palace library, mafra, portugal. The mafra palace library keeps a colony of bats on hand to keep its books from being destroyed by pests. Albany 32 best bats at the library images my books, bat craft, activities bats in the library. Jul 05, 2018 librarians at portugals biblioteca joanina and the mafra palace library, use special nighttime security guards to protect the priceless pages. The austrian national library is the largest library in austria with million items in its various collections. Mafra national palace hosts one of the most beautiful. Two antique portuguese libraries use live bats as insect. Since its opening in 1771, the mafra palace library has been home to a colony of tiny bats. The scale and beauty of the place made it hard to say goodbye.
During the night, the bats consume the insects that appear, eliminating the. The most awesome library in the world and the bats. It was built in the baroque style in portugal not far from the capital lisbon. In fact, as book riot points out bats are kept in boxes during the day but at night they are let out and eat up to double their own body weight in insects. Get your kicks on route 66 was playing on the radio and it was as if everyone knew we were going on another road trip. The library was decorated in late baroque, or rococo, style.
It is not a common means of controlling the pests, but the library at mafra national palace in portugal is an uncommon place. At night, bats patrol this magnificent 18thcentury space in search of bookeating pests. Construction began in 1717 under king john v of portugal and was completely concluded in 1755. The bats help preserve old books but they drive librarians, well, batty a 300yearold librarys resident bats eat the bugs that devour glue and paper, but theyre attracting more interest. Among the most serious threats to library materials are pests. Mafra national palace library was considered the most awesome. The library is noted as being one of two in the world the mafra palace library being the other whose books are protected from insects by the presence of a colony of bats within the library.
The palace of mafra, which also served as a franciscan friary, was built for the queen of portugal. Libraries use various methods to deal with insects, including ethylene oxide, methyl bromide, gamma radiation, and bats. In order to keep the books in good condition and preserve them. Its also a known fact that small bats live inside the library, eating the bugs that would otherwise destroy the very old books within the library. Mafra national palace and library motorhome europe. In a glass case rest the taxidermized remains of three. Two introverts travel to sintra and mafra awayfarers.
To the south, in mafra, a small colony of bats swoops among incunabula books printed prior to 1501 at the 18thcentury library at the national palace of mafra before flitting out into the nearseaside air. The rain had just cleared out when we got in the car to go to mafra on sunday afternoon. If you ever want to feel immersed in a culture and history so foreign from what youve been accustomed to thus far, head over to the mafra library and let it slowly entwine into each of your senses. Mafra palace library mafra, portugal atlas obscura. It is very interesting, in great condition only 30 minutes away from lisbon by the a8 highway, impeccably clean, with a fabulous library with over 35,000 books. The palace has 1200 rooms and over 4,700 doors and windows. Library in the palace of mafra, mafra, portugal 1771. These portuguese libraries are infested with batsand they like it. Mafra palace library in mafra, portugal, tripitaka koreana in haeinsa, south korea, and the national library of china, beijing. Like the biblioteca joanina, the books of portugals mafra palace library are protected by insecteating bats. A family of bats guards the hall against invasion by bug. The royal monastic library of the national palace of mafra is one of the most important european libraries, with a valuable collection of c. The ten most beautiful school libraries in the world this has to be one of the most visually breathtaking libraries i have ever seen. Its one of two 18thcentury portuguese libraries where bats are.
The 8 most gorgeous libraries in the world kayak au. These portuguese libraries are infested with bats and they like. The library is known for homing bats which protect the books from insect damage at night, which is a very novel way of caring for the books. So my eye was immediately drawn to an article on the stunning mafra palace library in portugal stating at night, bats patrol this magnificent 18thcentury space in search of bookeating pests. Most libraries control such pests with ethylene oxide, methyl bromide, or gamma radiation, but the mafra palace library has a very special force of airborne defenders. The enlightenmentera library pays tribute to them inside with a small exhibition. Mafra national palace library, portugal 20 of the most.
This vast complex includes a huge monastery, an ornate basilica and a library that contains over 36,000 ancient books and its own colony of bats. Heres why bats are the best employees in these baroque. It has a huge and very important historic library of over 36,000 books. Bats act as pest control at the library of the palace of mafra in portugal.
The library is known for homing bats which protect the books from insect damage at. Aug 20, 2012 what stands out most in memory from my visit to the national palace of mafra is its library. Mafra palace is one of the most grandiose palaces in europe. I just want a small subtle library with staircases and gilt bannisters and books. National palace of mafra portugalvisitor travel guide. During the day the bats sleep behind the elaborate book cases, only emerging at night when the library is closed to hoover up all the pesky insects. The books include works from the 15th century, musical scores for the six organs in the basilica and a collection of incunabula books printed during the earliest period of typography in europe. Tiny bats, which live in the eaves of the room, keep the library insect free. It actually contains more than 40k very well preserved books due to the huge amount of bats that inhabbit the palace and prevent its scripts from getting damaged by insects.
However, this is only a portion of the 60,000 books, manuscripts and documents originally in the royal library. Law library news native bats visit ulatis library the reporter bat chat at the library. To the title of the most awesome library in the world was also contributed the other legends related to mafra national palace library. Top 3 most enchanting libraries near lisbon discover. The magnificent library is the undoubted highlight of mafra palace and one of the most celebrated book depositories in europe. In addition to the national palace of mafra, you will find nature, culture, art and, very close, beaches.
At biblioteca joanina and the mafra palace library, both, curiously, located in portugal, and both built in the 18th century, small bats, about an inch long, act. The village of mafra is famous for its baroque convent, a fantastic masterpiece buit by king john the v to rival the basilica of saint peter. Bats there are spaces behind the bookcases, between these and the walls, in which a resident bat population was allowed to live. Library in the palace of mafra, mafra, portugal 1771 building building.
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