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Photos: At 100, Greece library makes a historic trip to Athens

After years of preparations, hundreds of thousands of Greek National Library’s books are moving to their new, ultra-modern home. The library will soon be housed in its new premises at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The new library will now be able to provide e-books, electronic journals, and for the first time also lend a selection of copies to readers.

Updated on: Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM IST

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People walk inside the new home of the National Library of Greece, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens. Until April, the National Library of Greece is moving root and branch, out of its 100-year-old home in central Athens and literally into the 21st-century.s (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

People walk inside the new home of the National Library of Greece, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens. Until April, the National Library of Greece is moving root and branch, out of its 100-year-old home in central Athens and literally into the 21st-century.s (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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An exterior view of the old building of the National Library of Greece. Since 1903, most of the library’s collection has been housed in the iconic Vallianeio neoclassic mansion in central Athens, designed by Theophil Hansen and built by Ernst Ziller-- the architects who beautified 19th century Athens. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

An exterior view of the old building of the National Library of Greece. Since 1903, most of the library’s collection has been housed in the iconic Vallianeio neoclassic mansion in central Athens, designed by Theophil Hansen and built by Ernst Ziller-- the architects who beautified 19th century Athens. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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However, in a listed building that could not be easily remodelled and with a reading room of just 80 seats, staffers say it was time to move on. “This is no simple move. It’s a journey into a new era,” says library general director Filippos Tsimpoglou. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

However, in a listed building that could not be easily remodelled and with a reading room of just 80 seats, staffers say it was time to move on. “This is no simple move. It’s a journey into a new era,” says library general director Filippos Tsimpoglou. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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Founded in 1832, the National Library is the custodian of Greece’s cultural heritage in written form-- including rare copies of Homeric texts, 1,200-year-old manuscripts, maps, Byzantine-era music, 19th century Greek revolutionary archives and the personal papers of poet Dionysios Solomos. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

Founded in 1832, the National Library is the custodian of Greece’s cultural heritage in written form-- including rare copies of Homeric texts, 1,200-year-old manuscripts, maps, Byzantine-era music, 19th century Greek revolutionary archives and the personal papers of poet Dionysios Solomos. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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Librarians arrange newly arrived books in shelves at the new home of the National Library of Greece, in Athens. “The National Library had approximately 20,000 visitors and 21,000 readers each year. At this new facility, the annual number of visitors and readers is expected to be 10 times higher,” said reading room head Vasiliki Tsigouni. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

Librarians arrange newly arrived books in shelves at the new home of the National Library of Greece, in Athens. “The National Library had approximately 20,000 visitors and 21,000 readers each year. At this new facility, the annual number of visitors and readers is expected to be 10 times higher,” said reading room head Vasiliki Tsigouni. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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The new library will be able to provide e-books, electronic journals, and for the first time also lend a selection of copies to readers. To keep the library’s rarest books and manuscripts, some of which date back to the 9th century, four climate-controlled vaults have also been set up. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

The new library will be able to provide e-books, electronic journals, and for the first time also lend a selection of copies to readers. To keep the library’s rarest books and manuscripts, some of which date back to the 9th century, four climate-controlled vaults have also been set up. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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The huge shift was possible because of a massive donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), one of the country’s leading philanthropic organisations. The foundation in 2016 unveiled the library’s new home-- a 49-acre cultural centre designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano on the Athens seafront. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

Updated on Feb 22, 2018 1:30 PM

The huge shift was possible because of a massive donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), one of the country’s leading philanthropic organisations. The foundation in 2016 unveiled the library’s new home-- a 49-acre cultural centre designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano on the Athens seafront. (Lousia Gouliamaki / AFP)

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