Stockholm Public Library
Stadsbiblioteket, Stockholm Public Library
Sweden, Stockholm
The Stockholm Public Library is one of the architectural masterpieces of the city, built in the 1920s by the famous architect G. Asplund in the style of Nordic classicism and functionalism. Its orange building is easily recognizable by the tall rotunda cylinder that houses the main reading room. Inside, the library is decorated with reliefs and wall paintings, while the lamps and furniture were designed by Asplund himself. This simple three-story building is Stockholm's first open-shelf public library, where books are freely available without the need for librarians. Its library fund is about 2 million books written in 120 languages. The public library is part of the system of book depositories in Stockholm, of which there are about 40. The library complex also includes three additional buildings and a wonderful park.