Carolina Rediviva

The library opened in 1841 and holds several million volumes, but the object on display is the Codex Argenteus - a Gothic gospel book written in Ravenna in the sixth century for the Ostrogothic court, in silver and gold ink on vellum dyed purple. It reached Sweden as war booty from Prague in 1648. Around a hundred and eighty-eight leaves survive of an original three hundred and thirty-six. The exhibition room also shows the Carta Marina, Olaus Magnus's 1539 map of the north with its sea monsters, and rotating manuscripts and early prints. The reading rooms are for students, but the exhibition is free and open to anyone.

Background

Work on the building started in 1820 and finished in 1841 to designs by Carl Fredrik Sundvall, with later extensions by Axel Johan Anderberg and Peter Celsing. Its name means Carolina Revived and recalls the old Academia Carolina building, which housed the university library through most of the 18th century. Carolina Rediviva is the oldest and the largest university library building in Sweden, and besides the Codex Argenteus it keeps the Cancionero de Upsala.

Source: Wikipedia, "Carolina Rediviva"

What to look for

• The Codex Argenteus - silver and gold on purple vellum, sixth century.
• The Carta Marina of 1539 - Olaus Magnus's map of the north.
• Rotating manuscripts and early prints - changed periodically.
• A working university library - the rest of the building.

When to go

Year round; exhibition hours are shorter than the library's. An hour.

Things to know

The exhibition is one room and the visit is short. Light levels are kept very low for the manuscripts. Summer hours are reduced. Reading rooms are not open to visitors.

Nearby

Gustavianum and the cathedral are downhill; the botanical garden is west.

Key facts