This is the stunning building of the National Library of Latvia @LNB_lv, now lit up in solidarity with the colors of the Ukrainian flag. It was designed by the Latvian-American architect Gunnar Birkerts.
The library is locally known as "The Castle of Light".
Here's why. 1/
The library is locally known as "The Castle of Light".
Here's why. 1/
In Latvian folklore, a โcastle of lightโ is a metaphor for lost wisdom that can be reclaimed after the darkness of war and occupation is overcome. It comes from a legend in which a mystical castle symbolizing culture and knowledge sinks in a lake but will one day be rebuilt. 2/
Currently, three flags fly outside the library: the Latvian flag, the Ukrainian flag, and the pre-Soviet Belarus white-red-white flag with the so-called Pahonia (Pursuit) as its coat of arms - the defacto symbol of the anti-Lukashenko Belarus opposition. 3/
The building is remarkable from almost every angle, and is especially striking when it catches the light at sunset. 4/
The interior features oblique angles and is dominated by a vast wall of books. 5/
The open space in the center of the building allows visitors to look up at floors of books, manuscripts, sheet music, and other cultural treasures. There are more than 1,000 places to read in the library, and shelf space for more than six million items. 6/
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