Hadrian's Library

Hadrian's Library was a monumental building created by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132 on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens.^[1][2]

Key Information

Βιβλιοθήκη του Αδριανού
West wall of the Library of Hadrian
Shown within Athens
Location	Greece
Region	Athens
Coordinates	37°58′32″N 23°43′34″E / 37.9755555556°N 23.7261111111°E / 37.9755555556; 23.7261111111
Type	Library
History
Material	Marble
Founded	132 AD
Periods	Classical era
Cultures	Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome
Associated with	Emperor Hadrian
Site notes
Ownership	Public property
Management	Minister for Culture
Public access	Monastiraki station
Show more

The main entrance to the library was part of the Stoa of Hadrian with columns of Karystian marble and Pentelic capitals.^[3]

The building followed a Roman forum architectural style, having only one entrance with a propylon of Corinthian order, a high surrounding wall with protruding niches (oikoi, exedrae) at its long sides, an inner courtyard surrounded by columns and a decorative oblong pool in the middle.^[4] The library was on the eastern side where rolls of papyrus "books" were kept. Adjoining halls were used as reading rooms, and the corners served as lecture halls.

The library was seriously damaged by the Herulian invasion of 267 and repaired by the prefect Herculius in 407–412.^[5]

The library was later incorporated into the Roman city walls.

During Byzantine times, three churches were built at the site, the remains of which are preserved:

• a tetraconch (5th century)
• a three-aisled basilica (7th century), and
• a simple cathedral (12th century), which was the first cathedral of the city, known as Megali Panagia.

Around the same period as the cathedral another church, Agios Asomatos sta Skalia, was built against the north facade, but it is not preserved. A colossal statue of the goddess Nike/Victoria is exhibited on the site, excavated in the Library in 1988.^[6]

• 
  Library of Hadrian – Model in Colosseum
• 
  View from south: the tetraconch in the courtyard
• 
  Stone inscription inside the library honouring Hadrian
• 
  Relief fragment of a Gorgoneion. Museum at Hadrian's Library. 2nd century
• 
  The rear of the facade

• Library of Pantainos

• Media related to Library of Hadrian (Athens) at Wikimedia Commons