The Bibliotheca Thysiana was erected in 1655 to house the book collection of the lawyer Johannes Thysius. Upon his early death, he left a legacy of 20,000 guilders for the building of a public library with a custodian's dwelling. Designed by the architect Arent van ‘s-Gravensande, the building follows the Dutch Classical style and is regarded as one of the jewels of Dutch 17th-century architecture. Bibliotheca Thysiana is one of the Top 100 Dutch heritage sites. It is distinguished by its balanced proportions and the purity of its Ionic order on top of a high basement.
The Bibliotheca Thysiana is the only surviving 17th century example in the Netherlands of a building that was designed as a public library. It is quite extraordinary that a complete private 17th century library has been preserved and thus offers a good impression of the book collection of a young, learned bibliophile from the period of late Humanism.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliotheca_Thysiana
Official Website http://www.bibliotheek.leidenuniv.nl/bijzondere-collecties/oude-drukken/bibliotheca-thysiana.html
Email specialcollections@library.leidenuniv.nl
Phone +31 71 527 2857
Coordinates 52°9'33.096" N 4°29'4.771" E