Styles
In this section you can search all our contents throughout the different stages in the history of art in Spain, to find styles such as Baroque, Gothic, Mudejar and many, many more.
Modernism and Avant-garde movements
The turn of the century brought new winds of modernity. The aesthetic sensibility of the time was marked by a different, freer attitude towards art and life.
Topics
In this section you can search among all our contents by topic to find the different resources available in Spain, such as museums, routes, destinations, monuments and many, many more.
Audience
This section provides access to all the contents in a personalised way, according to your own particular interests and socio-demographic profile.
Autonomous Regions
This section provides access to the contents in each autonomous region by browsing through maps.
Spanish National Library
- Share
Locate
Front page
Façade of the Spanish National Library. Madrid © Gabriel Muñiz. Ministerio de Cultura
Reference room in the Spanish National Library. Madrid © Ministerio de Cultura
Staircase. Entrance hall in the Spanish National Library. Madrid © Ministerio de Cultura
Category
Library owned by the state
Paseo de Recoletos, 20-22
28071 Madrid
Madrid
28071 Madrid
Madrid
The Spanish National Library was founded by Philip V and opened its doors in 1712 with the name of Royal Public Library. It is today Spain's primary national library institution.
By means of a system of legal deposit, one or various copies of all bibliographic articles, on any kind of support, are entered in the Spanish National Library. It is therefore home to an extensive collection of works of extraordinary value of all different kinds. The manuscripts, personal archives, incunabula and ancient and modern printed matter, in addition to journals and periodicals, form the basis of Spain's bibliographic heritage. Particularly exceptional is the Cervantes collection, containing 26 editions of Don Quixote printed in the 17th century. This cultural heritage is further enriched by an important collection of music and sound and audiovisual recordings. The Spanish Public Library has an outstanding and extensive collection of etchings, of which particular highlights include various prints by Francisco de Goya, an extremely valuable collection of original drawings including works by Velázquez and Murillo, and an excellent and numerous collection of photographs. The library also offers an attractive cultural programme of exhibitions, lectures and presentations, as well as the Library Museum.
Essential works
Collections
The library's collections are included in the Collective Catalogue of Spanish Bibliographic Heritage, created for the purpose of describing and locating books and other bibliographic items held in libraries and Spanish institutions which, for reason of their antiquity, singularity or value, form part of Spain's Historic Heritage.
Come and visit
Timetables
Sep 16 to Jun 15
Monday A Friday
Does not close at midday
9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Closing days: Sundays
Jun 16 to Sep 15
9:00 AM to 7:30 PM
Closing days: Weekend
Services
In-house consultation
Lectures
Exhibitions
Newspaper and magazine archive
Bibliographic information
Inter-library lending
Document reservation
Reference service
Guided tours
Accessibility
Accessible to the disabled, with companion
Lift
Car park
Wheelchairs
Multimedia
Video
¿De cuando acá nos vino?
Virtual tour
Interactive Don Quixote. Available only in Spanish
Very interesting
