Szabo Ervin Library and Coffee & Chat

The Ervin Szabo Library is the most famous library in Budapest. The historical building that houses it looks charming even from the outside. This is the largest network library in Budapest, so when you walk in, it looks like an average modern library.

However, we’ll head to the fourth floor to visit the beautiful neo-Baroque palace, the historical Wenckheim Palace, which dates back to the 19th century. Each room differs from the other, ranging from a ballroom to rooms encased in oak wood. The Wenckheim family used to own this palace, and they were renowned for their sumptuous balls. The library is named after Ervin Szabo, a sociologist who founded the library network and modelled it after the British public library system. Initially stored inside a temporary schoolhouse, the library moved into the palace once the city bought it. Today, it houses over 1.1 million volumes.
 
After the library visit, we can enjoy a coffee and chat in a nearby café.

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