Alexandria Library | National Geographic

they went up in flames thousands of

they went up in flames thousands of original works by some of the world’s

original works by some of the world’s

original works by some of the world’s greatest thinkers not a single scroll

greatest thinkers not a single scroll

greatest thinkers not a single scroll survived today sixteen hundred years

survived today sixteen hundred years

survived today sixteen hundred years after the destruction of the great

after the destruction of the great

after the destruction of the great library Alexandria has built a new

library Alexandria has built a new

library Alexandria has built a new library the bibliotheca alexandrina in

library the bibliotheca alexandrina in

library the bibliotheca alexandrina in the spirit of the original Ishmael Sarah

the spirit of the original Ishmael Sarah

the spirit of the original Ishmael Sarah gelding is its first director it is

gelding is its first director it is

gelding is its first director it is certainly a dream that most of humanity

certainly a dream that most of humanity

certainly a dream that most of humanity has cherished the celebration of

has cherished the celebration of

has cherished the celebration of universal knowledge rationality

universal knowledge rationality

universal knowledge rationality tolerance respect for science and for

tolerance respect for science and for

tolerance respect for science and for the contrarian view all of these values

the contrarian view all of these values

the contrarian view all of these values are values that have lived with us to

are values that have lived with us to

are values that have lived with us to this day this port city is at the

this day this port city is at the

this day this port city is at the crossroads of three continents a natural

crossroads of three continents a natural

crossroads of three continents a natural place for people and cultures to

place for people and cultures to

place for people and cultures to converge just as it was when it was

converge just as it was when it was

converge just as it was when it was founded in 332 BC for 700 years ancient

founded in 332 BC for 700 years ancient

founded in 332 BC for 700 years ancient Alexandria flourished as a center of

Alexandria flourished as a center of

Alexandria flourished as a center of learning but the library saw its share

learning but the library saw its share

learning but the library saw its share of troubles in 48 BC Julius Caesar

of troubles in 48 BC Julius Caesar

of troubles in 48 BC Julius Caesar invaded the city and accidentally

invaded the city and accidentally

invaded the city and accidentally torched part of the library over the

torched part of the library over the

torched part of the library over the next few centuries

next few centuries

next few centuries Alexandria’s glory faded and historians

Alexandria’s glory faded and historians

Alexandria’s glory faded and historians are still not sure how the library

are still not sure how the library

are still not sure how the library vanished completely that event may have

vanished completely that event may have

vanished completely that event may have helped usher in the dark ages by erasing

helped usher in the dark ages by erasing

helped usher in the dark ages by erasing centuries of precious knowledge the loss

centuries of precious knowledge the loss

centuries of precious knowledge the loss still haunts us today the thing you can

still haunts us today the thing you can

still haunts us today the thing you can never have again is the literature and

never have again is the literature and

never have again is the literature and the poetry suppose all the works of

the poetry suppose all the works of

the poetry suppose all the works of Shakespeare had been and disappeared

Shakespeare had been and disappeared

Shakespeare had been and disappeared except for two or three in the late

except for two or three in the late

except for two or three in the late 1980s the Egyptian government along with

1980s the Egyptian government along with

1980s the Egyptian government along with the United Nations decided to build the

the United Nations decided to build the

the United Nations decided to build the new library as a center for research and

new library as a center for research and

new library as a center for research and the open exchange of ideas

the open exchange of ideas

the open exchange of ideas when the library open Greeks helped with

when the library open Greeks helped with

when the library open Greeks helped with Antiquities the French with a Science

Antiquities the French with a Science

Antiquities the French with a Science Museum and Americans with some of the

Museum and Americans with some of the

Museum and Americans with some of the most advanced computer systems in the

most advanced computer systems in the

most advanced computer systems in the world italians work with egyptians to

world italians work with egyptians to

world italians work with egyptians to preserve rare manuscripts this one’s

preserve rare manuscripts this one’s

preserve rare manuscripts this one’s about 500 years old

about 500 years old

about 500 years old ultimately the original library

ultimately the original library

ultimately the original library collected some 500000 scrolls

collected some 500000 scrolls

collected some 500000 scrolls although tens of thousands of books line

although tens of thousands of books line

although tens of thousands of books line the shelves

the shelves

the shelves today’s library isn’t trying to gather

today’s library isn’t trying to gather

today’s library isn’t trying to gather the entire intellectual legacy of

the entire intellectual legacy of

the entire intellectual legacy of humankind under one roof instead it’s

humankind under one roof instead it’s

humankind under one roof instead it’s building special collections on Egypt

building special collections on Egypt

building special collections on Egypt the Middle East and Islam and in the

the Middle East and Islam and in the

the Middle East and Islam and in the ancient tradition the biblioteca is try

ancient tradition the biblioteca is try

ancient tradition the biblioteca is try to attract researchers and scholars and

to attract researchers and scholars and

to attract researchers and scholars and anyone eager to learn in this so-called

anyone eager to learn in this so-called

anyone eager to learn in this so-called capital of memory the spirit of the

capital of memory the spirit of the

capital of memory the spirit of the ancient library is alive and well and

ancient library is alive and well and

ancient library is alive and well and this time it’s fireproof