Melbourne's most beloved library is undoubtedly State Library Victoria – it has the most popular front lawn in the whole city, and it's stunning dome is the crown jewel of Swanston Street. But it's not just Melburnians who love this bibliophile's haven, as it consistently receives global acclaim. It's no stranger to being mentioned among the best libraries in the world, as it ranked in the top 20 in two global lists last year. But this year, the love for State Library Victoria has gone up a notch – as it's just been named in the top three best libraries worldwide.
Language learning platform Preply has just ranked over 100 of the very best libraries and bookshops by analysing online reviews from Google and TripAdvisor, to give us our very own library of the most popular ones on the planet. State Library Victoria made the podium, ranking as the third most popular in the whole wide world, with an impressive rating of 95.21.
What's even more impressive is that in Preply's annual library rankings for last year, State Library Victoria ranked in the 15th spot. Jumping 12 places in one year, it makes us swell with pride to see that this beautiful library is still gaining more fans. What a superstar.
Preply called out the library's history and beauty as the two main factors attributing to its worldwide popularity. It was built all the way back in 1854, and its magnificent, six-storey domed La Trobe Reading Room has wowed visitors ever since.
Topping the worldwide ranking was Daunt Books, which actually has 10 different London locations including in Notting Hill, Hampstead and Marylebone (though it was this one which featured in the study) and gained an overall rating of 96.58. The independent bookshop chain has been around since 1990, and the original outpost boasts pretty oak balconies and ornate windows, all inside an Edwardian building – it doesn’t get more classic than that. El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a bookshop in Argentina which sits in what used to be a theatre, claimed second place with a rating of 95.9.
These are the 12 most popular libraries in the world:
- Daunt Books, London
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires
- State Library Victoria, Melbourne
- Bookstore Dominicanen, Maastricht
- The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles
- Starfield Library, Seoul
- Shakespeare and Company, Paris
- Powell's Books, Portland
- Trinity College Library, Dublin
- Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice
- Klementinum, Prague
- Livraria Lello, Porto
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