Bodleian Library

The Bodleian Library, in Oxford

The Bodleian Library is one of the oldest and most prestigious libraries of Europe, in the heart of the University of Oxford. The Oxford audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this temple of knowledge, rich in millions of works and inestimable treasures.

The temple of knowledge of the university

The Bodleian Library is the main library of the University of Oxford and one of the oldest of Europe. It owes its name to Thomas Bodley, a scholar who refounded and reopened it at the beginning of the seventeenth century, endowing the university with a collection destined for an extraordinary development. A legal deposit library, it receives a copy of each work published in the United Kingdom, and today keeps millions of books and documents, including manuscripts, incunabula and treasures of an inestimable value. Its historic buildings are masterpieces of architecture: the Divinity School, with its flamboyant Gothic vault, the old school and the magnificent Duke Humfrey's Library, a medieval reading room with old woodwork, which has notably served as a setting for famous films. A prestigious place of study and research, frequented by the greatest minds, the Bodleian embodies the intellectual influence of Oxford. A treasure of the university heritage, the Bodleian Library is a must-see stop.

What to see

You admire one of the oldest libraries of Europe, refounded by Thomas Bodley in the seventeenth century, a legal deposit library with millions of works and inestimable treasures, with its historic buildings, the Divinity School with its flamboyant Gothic vault and the magnificent Duke Humfrey's Library, a setting of famous films. The Bodleian Library embodies the influence of Oxford. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Bodleian Library lies in the heart of Oxford, reachable on foot. The visit of its historic spaces follows its own hours and conditions, which vary; some rooms are discovered during guided tours. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

What is the Bodleian Library of Oxford?

The main library of the University of Oxford and one of the oldest of Europe, refounded by Thomas Bodley in the seventeenth century; a legal deposit library, it keeps millions of works and treasures, in historic buildings like the Divinity School and the Duke Humfrey's Library.

Where is the Bodleian Library of Oxford?

In the heart of Oxford, in England.