Traveling Photographer Captures Most Beautiful Libraries Around the World

Montréal-based photographer Olivier Martel Savoie proves that “photography isn't about the gear” in his exquisite Instagram series, #olive_libraries.

Armed with only his iPhone, Savoie visits libraries around the world to capture each one’s unique aesthetic. His study of interiors, which span institutions in major cities like Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Amsterdam, Boston, Budapest, and Rome, chronicle both the classical splendor and modern sophistication of today’s libraries: old spiral staircases juxtapose sleek escalators while opulent chandeliers contrast minimalist sculpture.

You can find Savoie's architectural adventures on his Instagram account, une_olive, or check out the hashtag “olive_libraries” for a catch-all of this cultured collection.

Above image: Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library (Budapest, Hungary)

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Center Library (Berlin, Germany)

Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library (Budapest, Hungary)

National Library and Archives (Montréal, Québec, Canada)

National Library of France (Paris, France)

Russian National Library (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Trinity College Library (Dublin, Ireland)

Klementinum Library (Prague, Czech Republic)

Malmö City Library (Malmö, Sweden)

Stuttgart Library (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Boston Public Library (Boston, Massachusetts)

Royal Library (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Strahovská Library (Prague, Czech Republic)

Rijksmuseum Research Library (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Russian National Library (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Main Library of the University of Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland)

Philological Library of the Free University Berlin (Berlin, Germany)

Olivier Martel Savoie: Instagram | Flickr | Vimeo
via [this isn't happiness]

All images via Olivier Martel Savoie.

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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