The 65-meter “Long Room” of the Old Library at Dublin’s Trinity College was built between 1712 and 1732 and houses 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books. Initially, it had a flat ceiling, shelving for books only on the lower level, and an open gallery. By the 1850s the room had to be expanded as the shelves were filled due to the fact that the Library had been given permission to obtain a free copy of every book that had been published in Ireland and Britain. In 1860, The Long Room’s roof was raised to accommodate an upper gallery Click here for more pictures of Trinity College Library. Continue reading for a video of the campus.
The Long Room is lined with marble busts. The marble bust collection was formed when 14 busts from the famous sculptor Pieter Scheemakers were acquired by the college. The Long Room also holds one of the last remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic. This proclamation was read by Patrick Pearse near the General Post Office on 24 April 1916. Visitors may also view the Trinity College Harp in The Long Room that is the oldest of its kind in Ireland dating back to the 15th century. The harp is made out of oak and willow and includes 29 brass strings.
