"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library"

So said Albert Einstein - and from what I hear, he was pretty smart. I spent a glorious Monday in Manchester exploring some of the city's most impressive reading-nooks.

Let's start with the big boy shall we? Manchester Central Library ...

This imposing building is not nearly as old as it looks. Loosely styled on the Pantheon in Rome, and sitting in the shadow of Manchester Town Hall and The Midland Hotel, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it had been sat here for centuries, but with construction ending in 1934, Manchester Central hasn't even reached it's 100th birthday yet. If the exterior wasn't misleading enough, just wait till you get inside; a few stained glass windows and carved stone then BAM! you'll find yourself inside a room that looks like the control deck of a space ship. As well as acres and acres of bookshelves, this area, all gleaming white walls and LED lights, refurbished just last year, is home to a local history museum, film, television and music archive and a cafe serving some of the most pretentious sounding but delicious tasting food I've ever come across. Pricey, but worth a pit stop.

As you head upstairs, you'll find yourself travelling back through time again, as it's here that you can visit 'the reading room'. You'll be hard pressed to find another room as vast and impressive as this one - it's certainly not the kind of place you'd expect to find hidden in the middle of a cramped city centre, yet here it is, in all its rotund glory. The enormous glass dome comes as a bit of a surprise as it's not visible from the street and there's a pretty flashy gold clock chillin' underneath it. Between the giant marble columns that support the dome, the walls are lined with books and people sit reading them at the original antique desks in studious silence. They've clearly taken heed of the quote from the Book of Proverbs that runs around the edge of the dome - it reads:

Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding. Exalt her and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her, she shall give of thy head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory she shall deliver to thee

Proverbs 4:7

Props to the book of proverbs for deciding knowledge should be a woman.

Now onto something a little more gothic ... John Rylands Library

The architects that built Manchester must've had great senses of humour. Just as the Central library belies its true age, John Rylands is another building that likes to befuddle the mind. Compared to the exceedingly modern offices and shops of Spinningfields that have sprung up around it, the library looks positively medieval, but in actual fact it is merely victorian, commissioned by Enriqueta Rylands in 1889 in memory of her late husband. Externally, it looks like a church - internally, it looks like Hogwarts. 

This place may be maintained by the University of Manchester, but it's certainly nothing like your average college library. The contemporary entrance hall gives way to long, stone corridors, with dragons carved into the ceiling and stained glass windows casting strange lights onto the floor. There's no need to strain your neck as you look around, the library has provided mirrors so that you can look up at the ceiling, and magnifying glasses so you don't miss any of the details. These exceedingly Rowling-esque corridors lead you in to all kinds of weird and wonderful places; rooms filled with glass book cases with wrought iron ladders for the librarians to climb and vast halls with high ceilings and enormous stone stair cases. You can see manuscripts by Elizabeth Gaskell and letters from Charles Dickens in one of the collection rooms. But, just as in Manchester Central, it's the reading room that packs the biggest punch. You'll find it right at the top of the building, stretching out across the whole width -it was designed to have maximum 'OMG-face' impact. There are two tiers of alcoves filled with beautiful old books, each one flanked by a statue of a famous author. A marble Queen Victoria watches over the readers from her spot under one of the many incredible stained glass windows and the ceiling looks like it came out of a gothic cathedral. It's a hidden gem in the heart of the city.

And there's still more to see - Chethams and Portico

Just look at the beams in this place!
This is Chethams, the oldest surviving public library in Britain. It dates back to 1653, a time when books were so valuable they had to be chained to the walls to prevent theft. Now Chethams gives its name to a world renowned music school but the library still remains a very popular tourist attraction. Stunningly well preserved, this place has been in constant use for over 350 years and with its echoey reading room and numerous shadowy corners, it has a touch of the Wolf Hall's about it. Unlike the Central Library and John Rylands - this place is every bit as old as it looks.

But if you prefer your libraries to be a little more exclusive, you should definitely head to the Portico. Although anyone can visit this beautiful book-house, lending is restricted to members only. Warmly lit and cosy, the Portico looks like the study of a well-heeled Georgian Gentleman, and, not to be outdone by the much larger Manchester Central, it also has a glorious domed ceiling and a highly recommended cafe. Perfect for an alternative day out in Manchester.







Picture Credits:

http://www.chethams.org.uk/visiting.html

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