The Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World
While we certainly invite you to submit an option of your own, we would like to claim this bookstore as the most beautiful bookstore in the world. The Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht is a bookstore built in a one-time Dominican church, celebrating a time when most of the knowledge preserved in books was not of a secular nature. Times have changed, religions have swelled and contracted, yet this church still stands thanks to Merkx and Girod Architects, who have taken this classic temple and kept it alive with a new set of knowledge. Next time you’re in The Netherlands, pay Maastricht a visit, and don’t miss this preserved temple of knowledge and the tomes it holds within. Absolutely brilliant, in our opinion… [thanks to Dezeen for the inspiration]
simlpy brilliant
Wonderful. I’ll speak about it also in my blog :)
I totally agree! Been there and it is just… BEAUTIFUL!!!
The church is indeed beautiful.
The harsh lines of the bookshop clash with the somber beauty of the old church.
It speaks of the moneylenders in the Temple.
This is the place you want to spend a long time browsing! I hope there’s a Starbucks in there somewhere…
aaah – so THAT’s what heaven looks like. utterly amazing
I’m pretty sure JC would have whipped the starbucks baristas just as hard as those pigeon sellers. A place of worship has been turned into a spectacle, a backdrop for consumption and sales.
Another contender for most beautiful bookstore is a former 1920s movie palace in Buenos Aires, the Libreria El Ateneo Grand Splendid:
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/13/most-beautiful-books.html
@ Multimedia Design Actually, there is a Coffee Lovers in the back (another coffee chain, but pretty good).
I have to agree with Marilyn above. “El Ateneo” in Buenos Aires is one of the jewels from Buenos Aires.
you’ve got to put in sharing features :) it’ll be great for people who likes to repost your link on facebook or tweet it..