Libraries of winged keepers of knowledge in Portugal (9 photos)

It would seem that the symbolic image of the guardians of bookish wisdom is more suitable for cats. But in this historical province of Portugal, everything turned out differently.





It is not only bibliophiles who like to spend time in the library. If bats had the opportunity, they would happily settle there and eat beetles and bookworms that feast on old manuscripts. This is how generations of bats protect the valuable collections of two Portuguese libraries - the Mafra Palace Library in Mafra and the Joanina Library in Coimbra.



Joanina Library

Located in the heart of the University of Coimbra, the Joanina Library is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It was named after its founder, King John V of Portugal, who began building the library in 1717, during the dawn of the Enlightenment in Europe. It houses over 250,000 volumes, including many priceless historical documents and first editions.





The library building was designed as a storage facility, with outer walls over 2 metres thick and a teak door that maintains a constant and stable temperature of 18-20°C inside. The oak wood used in the structure emits a smell that repels insects that live on the paper. And of course, there is a colony of bats that hide behind the bookshelves during the day when the library is open. At night, they fly out of their hiding places and feast on the insects that live among the books, and then fly out of the window in search of more prey.



It is not known exactly when the bats first took up residence in the library, but they have been there since at least the 19th century. Every evening before closing, the library caretakers cover the furniture to protect it from bats, and every morning they remove the covers and wash the floors.



Mafra Library

Another library is located in the Mafra Palace, located 200 kilometers south, northwest of Lisbon. The large library on the second floor of the palace is the jewel of the place, with a high vaulted ceiling and magnificent marble floors. Wooden rococo bookshelves line the side walls in two rows, separated by a balcony with wooden railings.



They contain more than 36,000 leather-bound volumes, testifying to the vastness of Western knowledge from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Among them are many valuable incunabula (books printed before 1500, before the printing press became widespread), such as the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493.



Dating the colony of bats in the library of the Mafra Palace is difficult, but they have likely lived there for centuries. As a sign of respect for these winged creatures, the library has a small glass case containing three stuffed bats that were once its residents and guardians.