Worth a Journey

Read by 254k monthly readers

The World’s 100 Best Libraries

Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library

Budapest, Hungary

  1. THE WORLD’S BEST LIBRARIES WORTH A JOURNEY · 2026 ✦ ✦ N° 9 2026

Top 10

Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library

A public city library housed in a converted 19th-century noble palace on Reviczky Street, near Kálvin Square. Historic rooms have frescoed ceilings, chandeliers and period furniture, and modern study floors are used by students.

Highlights

  • Fourth floor historic rooms
  • Frescoed ceilings and chandeliers
  • Spiral staircase

Good to know

  • Visitor ticket about 2000 HUF, bought at entrance
  • Students can register for a cheap library card
  • Photos in historic rooms, students reading there

Also in Europe

  1. Stuttgart City Library N° 4 Stuttgart City Library Stuttgart, Germany Public library
  2. Oodi Helsinki Central Library N° 5 Oodi Helsinki Central Library Helsinki, Finland Public library
  3. Abbey Library of St Gall N° 6 Abbey Library of St Gall St. Gallen, Switzerland Monastery library
  4. Admont Abbey Library N° 7 Admont Abbey Library Admont, Austria Monastery library
  5. Malmö City Library N° 8 Malmö City Library Malmö, Sweden Public library
  6. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Richelieu N° 11 Bibliothèque nationale de France, Richelieu Paris, France National library