Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center in Alexandria, Egypt, on the Mediterranean Sea. It commemorates the Library of Alexandria, once one of the world's largest libraries, which was destroyed in antiquity. The idea of reviving the old library dates back to 1974, when an Alexandria University committee chose a plot of land for its new library. Construction began in 1995, and the complex was officially inaugurated on October 16, 2002, after spending approximately $220 million. The Bibliothèque nationale de France donated 500,000 books to the library in 2009. (BnF). The gift elevates the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to the world's sixth-largest Francophone library.