Top-10 Oldest Libraries of the World, Check the List

The AI Qarawiyyin Library, founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri in Fez, Morocco, is the world's oldest operating library. It is part of the oldest university still in operation. Check the list of top-10 oldest libraries in the world.

Akansha Arora Last updated on October 14th, 2025 04:45 pm

Libraries are special places where people can read, learn, and gain knowledge. Some of them have existed for thousands of years, protecting old books, manuscripts, and records from various cultures. These ancient libraries are treasures of history, inspiring education and research even today. In this article, we’ll discover the top 10 oldest libraries in the world, each with its own unique story and importance.

World’s Oldest Library

The AI Qarawiyyin Library, founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri in Fez, Morocco, is the world’s oldest operating library. It is part of the oldest university still in operation. The library houses valuable Islamic manuscripts and its manuscript room once had a door with four locks, each requiring a key from a different important person to open. Although currently hidden from the public, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture has started efforts to preserve this historical treasure.

Top-10 Oldest Libraries in the World

The AI Qarawiyyin Library, located in Fez, Morocco, founded in the year 859, is the oldest library in the world, followed by The Librije, Hereford Cathedral Library and Francis Trigge Chained Library.

Here is the list of top-10 oldest libraries in the world:

S. No.	Library	Location	Founded Year	Key Highlights
1.	AI Qarawiyyin Library	Fez, Morocco	859	Founded by Fatima al-Fihri Home to Islamic manuscripts Part of the oldest university in the world.
2.	The Librije	Gelderland, Netherlands	16th century	Located in St. Walburga’s Church
3.	Hereford Cathedral Library	Hereford, England	1100	The only chained library with all chains intact Home to ancient theological texts 13th-century antiphonary.
4.	Francis Trigge Chained Library	Grantham, England	1598	Founded by Francis Trigge
5.	Royal Grammar School Library	England	1575	Contains books from 1480, some dating back to Venice and ancient bookcases from 1897.
6.	Wells Cathedral Library	Wells, England	16th -18th century	Books on theology, science, medicine, history, exploration and languages collected by canons, including works by famous authors.
7.	Laurentian Library	Florence, Italy	1571	Holds over 11,000 manuscripts of the Medici family.
8.	Malatestiana Library	Cesena, Italy	1452	Europe’s first public library, housed in a former Franciscan monastery, home to 40,000 books, known for its architectural beauty.
9.	Wimborne Minster Library	South West England	1686	Second-largest chained library Opened free of charge to the “better class” of people.
10.	Biblioteca Marciana	Venice, Italy	16th century	Named after the patron saint of Venice