Bibliotheca Thysiana

Description

"Bibliotheca Thysiana" in #Leiden (Zuid-Holland), the Netherlands, is a unique 17th-century library established in 1655 to house the collection of lawyer Johannes Thysius (1621–1653). Thysius bequeathed 20,000 guilders for the construction of a public library ("tot publycque dienst der studie") with a custodian's dwelling. Designed by architect Arent van 's-Gravensande in the Dutch Classical style, it remains the only surviving example in the Netherlands of a building specifically designed as a public library from that era. The collection comprises approximately 2,500 books and thousands of pamphlets across various scientific fields. The library houses one of the 14 remaining bookwheels in the world.