Egyptian National Library and Archives
| Egyptian National Library and Archives دار الكتب والوثائق القومية | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cairo, Egypt |
| Type | Public, National library and National archives. |
| Established | 1870 |
| Other information | |
| Director | Ludwig Stern, Wilhelm Spitta, Ali al-Biblawi, Murad Mukhtar, Karl Vollers, Bernhard Moritz, Muhammad Ali Biblawi, Arthur Schaade, Muhammad Ali Biblawi, Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed, Ahmed Sadiq Bey, Abd al-Hamid Abu Hayf |
| Website | http://www.darelkotob.gov.eg |
The Egyptian National Library and Archives (Arabic: دار الكتب والوثائق القومية; "Dar el-Kotob") is located in Nile Corniche, Cairo and is the largest library in Egypt, followed by Al-Azhar University and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (New Library of Alexandria). The Egyptian National Library and Archives are a non-profit government organization.
The National Library houses several million volumes on a wide range of topics. It is one of the largest in the world with thousands of ancient collections. It contains a vast variety of Arabic-language and other Eastern manuscripts, the oldest in the world. The main library is a seven-story building in Ramlet Boulaq, a district of Cairo. The Egyptian National Archives are contained in an annex beside the building.
The National Archives, located in an annex beside the library, houses a vast and diverse collection. The holdings are particularly significant to those who work on Egyptian social and political history, although it is not open to the public.