Step into Budapest’s most beautiful libraries, blending neo-baroque elegance with extensive book collections in historic settings.
Budapest is home to some of Europe’s most beautiful libraries. These buildings not only house vast collections of literature, manuscripts, and digital resources, but they are also located in historic settings that are well worth a visit.
We have found some of the best Budapest libraries, which are the perfect spot for quiet reading, intense studying, learning about new cultures, or simply observing the stunning architecture of these old Hungarian buildings.
Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library
Budapest has several specialty libraries, but its main library network is Szabó Ervin Kónyvtár. This library houses the city’s largest public collection of books and has the capacity to hold over one million volumes in its archives.
Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library is named after the sociologist who founded Budapest’s public library network at the beginning of the 20th century. Although the central library only opened in 1931, the neo-baroque palace it occupies was built between 1887 and 1889. Visiting this Budapest library feels like stepping into a bygone era, an ideal destination for bibliophiles, history enthusiasts, and architecture lovers alike. For a small fee, visitors can access a historic reading room that offers stunning scenery and makes the perfect backdrop for a photo or two.
If you recognize this library, you likely have seen it in a Hollywood movie. The picturesque building has appeared in The Phantom of the Opera, The Alienist, and Red Sparrow, amongst other productions.
The National Széchenyi Library
The National Széchényi Library is located in Buda Castle and is dedicated to preserving the Hungarian cultural heritage. Housed in an aristocratic building dating back to 1803, the library was founded by Count Ferenc Széchényi, an aristocrat who sought to collect every Hungarian book and place them into one huge collection.
The library is especially notable for housing at least one copy of every book published in Hungary. This institution plays a vital role in preserving and documenting the nation’s cultural and intellectual legacy. Its manuscript collection alone contains 1,400,000 items, in addition to an extensive array of books, maps, photographs, and other historical artifacts.
The National Széchényi Library isn’t just for fans of historical texts. There are exhibitions dedicated to famous Hungarians, including Houdini and Mr. Biro (who invented the pen), alongside a spectacular reading room with wall-to-wall bookcases.
Közkincs Könyvtár
If your tastes lean more toward the alternative and socially conscious, Közkincs Könyvtár is a feminist library and community space in Budapest worth exploring. It functions both as a feminist library and a Hungarian community hub, often hosting events for like-minded people.
The library’s collection primarily features English-language works and spans genres such as fiction, poetry, sociology, and art. Its curation emphasizes education around issues of race, gender, and class. Events include film nights, feminist book clubs, and special exhibitions that highlight female and queer voices.
Library of the Museum of Fine Arts
Located on Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square), the recently renovated Museum of Fine Arts is home to Hungary’s largest art collection. The library is as old as the museum, dating back around 1900, with a neoclassical style. This Budapest library offers a wide array of local and international resources focused on the history of art.
With over 250,000 items ranging from scholarly literature to history books and publications, this collection is the most complete of its kind in Hungary. Unsurprisingly, given its location within the Museum of Fine Arts, this library is heavily themed around European painting, sculpture, and graphic arts.
BME National Technical Information Centre and Library
Built in the 1900s and designed by Samu Pecz, the BME National Technical Information Centre and Library is one of the most decorative libraries in Budapest. Before you enter the building, look up to admire the beautiful Sóhajok hídja (‘Bridge of Sighs’), modeled after the famous bridge in Venice.
The recently renovated reading room is a spacious, light-filled building with a cathedral-like high ceiling and grand windows. Nearly a million volumes are available here, including an extensive collection of literature about economics, science, engineering, and other technical disciplines.
Pécsi József Library of Photography
If you’re a fan of photography, be sure to visit the Hungarian House of Photography (Magyar Fotográfusok Háza) and its library. Located on Nagymező Street, the Pécsi József Library of Photography can be found on the third floor of the photography museum.
Nestled above the bookshop and photo gallery, this photography-themed library is dedicated to the history of Hungarian photography. Here, you can find photo albums, bibliographies, a lexicon, encyclopedias, and Hungarian and English-language photography magazines.
National Library of Foreign Literature
The National Library of Foreign Literature (Országos Idegennyelvű Könyvtár) houses books, journals, and multimedia exhibits in 110 different languages. This Budapest library holds what is considered one of the country’s most prestigious foreign language collections.
The library focuses on world literature, literary criticism, linguistics, musicology, national literature, and scientific texts. Architecturally, the multi-floor building resembles a traditional study hall, featuring dark wood furniture and classic green library lamps.
ELTE University Library – Reading Hall
The reading hall of the ELTE University Library is one of Budapest’s most stunning libraries. Built in 1876 to Antal Skalnitzky’s plans, this reading hall holds the accolades of being Hungary’s first public library.
The 200-square-meter hall is home to nearly two million documents, and its walls are adorned with science- and art-themed frescoes by Károly Lotz. Stepping into this grand space feels like walking into the ballroom scene from Beauty and the Beast.
Library of the Hungarian Parliament
The Library of the Hungarian Parliament is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Budapest. Located on the Danube side of parliament, with scenic river views, it requires advance registration to visit the interior of the Imre Steindl–designed masterpiece.
This national library houses documents dating back to 1580. Opened in 1902, it features floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, intricately carved ceiling roses, and original early 20th-century furniture. The collection spans a wide range of political, legal, and historical topics. For those interested in international affairs, the library also holds a dedicated collection of United Nations and European Union materials.
Institute of Slavic and Baltic Philology
The library of ELTE University’s Institute of Slavic and Baltic Philology is mainly used for students studying and university events, but you can view the reading room if not in use. This library is small but crammed floor-to-ceiling with a vast collection of literature in Slavic and Baltic languages.
What was once the personal library of Loránd Eötvö, a Hungarian physicist, is now a modest yet cozy collection. If you’re only here for the architecture, make sure you note the wooden spiral staircase and the unique shelving designs.
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Amelia Harvey
Amelia is a freelance copywriter, entertainment writer and film reviewer. With an English literature degree from The University of Winchester, she loves nothing better than finding a hidden gem of a bookshop. She often daydreams of opening her own second-hand bookshop in a little English village.
