The State Library of Victoria has been ranked 7th in a list of the world’s most beautiful libraries by global literary tourism initiative “1000 Libraries.”
Trinity College Dublin was ranked as number one, while South Australia’s State Library in Adelaide came in second place.
The rankings were determined following two months of voting, and 200,000 people casting their votes.
The State Library of Victoria, established in 1854, is Australia’s oldest public library and was one of the world’s first free libraries. It’s considered to be a masterpiece of heritage and design, blending 19th-century grandeur with modern innovation.
Its crowning jewel, the La Trobe Reading Room, features an iconic domed ceiling flooding the space with natural light, surrounded by soaring white walls and elegant timber desks. Ornate facades, sweeping staircases, and intricate detailing celebrate its Victorian-era origins.
