Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002, stands on the Corniche at Shatby in Alexandria. There is an entry ticket (the museums may charge extra), and you should allow 1.5–2 hours for a visit.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina opened in 2002 as a modern successor to the ancient Library of Alexandria, the largest collection of books in the classical world. It sits on the Eastern Harbour, near where the original library is believed to have stood.

The Norwegian practice Snøhetta designed it as an enormous tilted disc, like a sun coming up out of the sea. Its outer granite wall is cut with characters from writing systems all over the world. Inside, the main reading room drops away in terraces beneath a ceiling of skylights.

The complex is more than a library. It also houses museums of antiquities and manuscripts, a museum dedicated to President Sadat, a planetarium and exhibition halls.

What to see

• The terraced main reading room
• The granite wall carved with the world's scripts
• The Antiquities and Manuscripts museums
• The planetarium

Visiting

• Opening hours: usually open most days from morning to evening; check opening days before you go
• Tickets: at the visitor entrance; bags are checked
• Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
• Getting there: tram or taxi to Shatby, on the Corniche
• Nearby: Alexandria Corniche, Graeco-Roman Museum, Stanley Bridge