National Library of Russia
Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded 1795.
- Type: National
- City: Saint Petersburg
- Country: Russia
- Founded: 1795
Overview
Established by Catherine the Great in 1795 as the Imperial Public Library, this was the first public library in Russia, open to readers regardless of class. Its roughly 36 million items include the personal library of Voltaire, purchased by the Empress after his death, and outstanding holdings of Slavic and oriental manuscripts. The building on Nevsky Prospect remains a Petersburg landmark.
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