Rare Book Library with 100€ Entrance Fee Just Opened in Saint Petersburg
Early December 2016 Book Chapel — an unusual library — greeted its first visitors in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Gothic interiors and special editions only — that’s how a local publishing house Alfaret decided to shelf the results of ten years of printing work.
Alfaret specializes in reprints and replicas of old books. Some of them exist only in two copies — one book is delivered to the customer another takes its place in the collection of the publishing house. Other are printed in higher quantities. However, total print runs are always rather small, reaching up to 20-50 copies.
Library’s interior design is intended to set the reader’s mood on a travel to an imaginary land far-far-away. Three main rooms of the Book Chapel are dedicated to different literary styles and book collections.
At the Chapel of the Book Disciples, you will find works of major Russian historians. This room’s interior is dedicated to the most important people of the book from all over the world — printers, apostles, writers and publishers.
Book of the Wars hall holds a collection of tomes on victories and defeats, battles and military campaigns, love and honor. Here you will find yourself in the environment of a medieval castle.
Another room should attract travelers. In the Book of Wanderings you will meet conquerors, merchants, diplomats, pilgrims, and, of course, travelers. Old maps and atlases are also stored here.
Overall, the library holds about 5000 tomes. Part of them in leather with gold tooling and all the attributes of a fine binding.
Single entry fee allows you to stay here for four hours. The price is 7000 Rubles (approximately 100€). You can also buy a yearly subscription for 230 000 Rubles (3650€).
To visit Book Chapel call +7 (812) 603-23-53 or send email to [email protected].
Address: Russia, 190000, Saint Petersburg, Pochtamtskiy pereulok, 5.
Book Chapel will definitely find its place in our Being Bookish in Saint Petersburg list that is in the making now.
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