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Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Global book-loving community crowns winners in largest-ever 1000 Libraries Awards 2025 competition
SYDNEY, Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1000 Libraries has announced the winners of its 2025 competition following a two-month voting period that recorded over 200,000 votes from book lovers worldwide. Trinity College Dublin's Library claimed first place in the Most Beautiful Libraries category, while Boekhandel Dominicanen in the Netherlands won Most Beautiful Bookstore, and Minoa Pera in Istanbul, Turkey, took the top spot for Most Beautiful Book Café. Voting ran from May 15 to July 15, 2025, with participation from librarians, students, tourists, and literary enthusiasts across six continents. The competition nominated 19 libraries, 19 bookstores, and 16 book cafés from exceptional venues worldwide. Why Ireland won Trinity College Dublin's victory highlights the appeal of historic libraries that combine architectural grandeur with literary significance. The library's Long Room, often compared to the Hogwarts library from Harry Potter, features dark polished shelves and a stately aesthetic that creates what the awards described as "an aged and dignified atmosphere." The library serves as Ireland's largest library and houses the famous Book of Kells alongside thousands of other rare manuscripts. Its 65-meter length and busts of famous literary figures contributed to its appeal among voters seeking spaces that "capture the beauty of libraries old and new." Other category winners Most Beautiful Bookstore: Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands, won first place. The bookstore operates in a restored 13th-century Gothic church featuring vaulted ceilings, original frescoes, and a steel bookcase installation. Most Beautiful Book Café: Minoa Pera in Istanbul, Turkey, claimed the top position. Part of the Minoa Books chain, it features modern design with stone flooring and sells over 45,000 Turkish and English books across multiple floors. Complete winner lists TOP 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL LIBRARIES: Trinity College Dublin, Ireland State Library of South Australia, Australia Abbey Library of St Gall, Switzerland Duke Humfrey's Library (University of Oxford), United Kingdom Admont Abbey Library, Austria Cuypers Library (Rijksmuseum), Netherlands State Library Victoria, Australia The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading, Brazil Wiblingen Abbey Library, Germany Sainte-Geneviève Library, France TOP 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKSTORES: Boekhandel Dominicanen, Netherlands Shakespeare and Company, France El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Argentina The Gently Mad Bookshop, United Kingdom Word on the Water, United Kingdom Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, China Eterna Cadencia, Argentina Daunt Books, United Kingdom Albertine Books, United States The Last Bookstore, United States TOP 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK CAFÉS: Minoa Pera, Turkey The Used Book Café at Merci, France Halle Saint-Pierre, France Péniche L'Eau et les Rêves, France Cafebrería El Péndulo Polanco, Mexico Ampersand Café & Bookstore, Australia Ler Devagar, Portugal Maison Assouline, United Kingdom Bibliotheque NYC, United States Livraria Funambule, Brazil Global reach reveals diverse winners The competition's international scope produced winners spanning multiple continents, from Europe's historic monastery libraries to South America's converted theaters and Asia's modern architectural marvels. Vincent Phan, Founder of 1000 Libraries, said: "These places represent the enduring power of the written word in our digital age. Visitors now want destinations that offer visual beauty, local storytelling, and intellectual engagement. Each winner offers something unique: breathtaking historical architecture, innovative modern design, and that intangible quality that makes you want to lose yourself among the stacks, while serving as crucial 'third places' where bookish communities flourish." Notable geographic diversity included Switzerland's 612-year-old Abbey Library of St Gall, Argentina's El Ateneo Grand Splendid housed in a 1919 theater, and China's Dujiangyan Zhongshuge with its mirrored ceiling creating infinite reflections of bookshelves. # # # Please contact Haikel Fahim for any interview requests: +65 9852 2024 1000 Libraries is the world's largest online community of book-lovers (1.5M+) dedicated to the art of literary travel, celebrating the world's most beautiful libraries, bookstores, book cafés, book towns, and book‑inspired destinations. At the heart of our platform is the 1000 Libraries Magazine - an ad‑free, reader‑friendly publication delivering weekly stories on literary culture, the bookish lifestyle, and the joy of reading. Every piece is freely accessible and written to inspire an enduring appeal for physical books in the age of digital technology. Founded and led by Editor-in-Chief Vincent Phan, 1000 Libraries is on a mission to inspire a global resurgence in book culture through content created for book-lovers, by book-lovers. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE 1000 Libraries
Time Out
5 days ago
- Time Out
This bookstore in China with ‘infinite' shelves is one of the world's 10 most beautiful in 2025
You've probably seen images of countless stunning bookstores from around the world, from charming antique ones to those with gorgeous frescoed ceilings. Most of those are in Europe, of course. But that's not to say Asia doesn't have a stunner of its own. Dujiangyan Zhongshuge in China has just been crowned one of the top 10 most beautiful bookstores in the world by 1000 Libraries – and it's the only one in Asia to make the list. The rankings were based on a mix of social media engagement and online reviews, with over 200,000 votes cast across 19 shortlisted bookstores. Topping the list is Boekhandel Dominicanen in the Netherlands, a bookstore housed in a restored 13th-century Gothic church, with Dujiangyan Zhongshuge landing in sixth place. Set in Chengdu, China, this two-storey bookstore is a must-visit in the area. Designed by Li Xiang of X+Living, the space takes inspiration from the region's famous Dujiangyan irrigation system. What really sets this bookstore apart is its surreal architecture. Winding staircases, curved shelves, giant archways and ceiling mirrors create an illusion of endless space — as if the shelves go on forever. Shiny black tile floors add to the whimsical effect, and there's also a cosy reading area and a small café tucked inside. A heads-up if you're planning a visit: it's a popular tourist spot, so expect crowds and plenty of people snapping photos. Also, all the books on the shelves are currently in Mandarin, so it's a great place to brush up if you're learning the language. Top 10 most beautiful bookstores in the world: Boekhandel Dominicanen, Netherlands Shakespeare and Company, France El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Argentina The Gently Mad Bookshop, UK Word on the Water, UK Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, China Eterna Cadencia, Argentina Daunt Books, UK Albertine Books, USA The Last Bookstore, USA
Edinburgh Reporter
6 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Global study reveals literary tourism renaissance as historic buildings drive cultural recovery
By Jeremy Liddle, Managing Director of Third Hemisphere, a full service marketing, PR, and public affairs agency with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, HK, the US, EU, and UK A comprehensive international study has identified a significant renaissance in literary tourism, with historic building conversions demonstrating remarkable success in creating sustainable cultural destinations that serve both local communities and international visitors. The research, encompassing consumer preferences from 200,000 participants across 54 global venues, reveals how adaptive reuse projects are revitalising urban areas while preserving architectural heritage. The findings provide valuable insights for heritage preservation advocates, urban planners, and cultural tourism development, particularly relevant to Scotland's own rich literary heritage and historic building conservation challenges. The study demonstrates how cities worldwide are successfully transforming underutilised historic properties into vibrant community anchors that generate economic activity while maintaining cultural authenticity. These destinations represent more than tourism attractions, they function as essential community infrastructure providing social gathering spaces, cultural programming, and economic vitality to neighbourhoods that might otherwise struggle with heritage building maintenance and urban regeneration challenges. Historic preservation success stories offer replicable models The most compelling examples emerge from venues that have successfully balanced heritage conservation with contemporary community needs. Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht demonstrates how a 13th-century Gothic church conversion can maintain architectural integrity while serving modern community functions. The space preserves original vaulted ceilings and medieval frescoes while accommodating contemporary retail operations and cultural events including readings and live music performances. Trinity College Dublin's approach to institutional heritage management offers lessons for similar historic institutions. The famous Long Room, stretching 65 meters and housing rare manuscripts including the 9th-century Book of Kells, operates seven days weekly including Sunday afternoon access. This scheduling demonstrates how historic institutions can balance preservation requirements with public accessibility, generating tourism revenue that supports ongoing conservation efforts. Religious building conversions appear particularly successful across European contexts. The Abbey Library of St. Gallen in Switzerland, founded in 612 by an Irish monk, maintains its monastic collection within gleaming wooden interiors and original ceiling frescoes. Austria's Admont Abbey Library, completed in 1776 as the world's largest monastic library, demonstrates how ecclesiastical buildings can transition to broader cultural functions while preserving their essential character and historical significance. Theater conversions provide another successful model for heritage preservation. El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires maintains the ornate architecture of a 1919 performance venue while serving contemporary community needs. Former viewing boxes function as intimate reading spaces, while the original stage accommodates café service, proving that entertainment venues can find sustainable second lives through cultural programming. Alternative approaches to heritage building utilisation include bank conversions like The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, operating within a historic financial building, and Maison Assouline in London, demonstrating how former commercial buildings near historic districts can contribute to cultural tourism while maintaining architectural character. Community infrastructure development through cultural programming Successful literary destinations demonstrate sophisticated approaches to community engagement that extend far beyond traditional retail or library services. These venues function as genuine community anchors providing social infrastructure that supports neighbourhood vitality and cultural continuity. Minoa Pera in Istanbul exemplifies comprehensive community programming through its integration of 45,000-title inventory with café service, cultural events, and extended operational hours including weekend service to midnight. The venue's book-embedded staircase connecting multiple floors creates architectural features that encourage community interaction while celebrating literary culture. Multi-generational programming appears consistently across successful venues. Dujiangyan Zhongshuge in China incorporates specialised children's areas with locally-themed design elements alongside adult collections, while venues like Boekhandel Dominicanen host diverse cultural events that serve different community demographics through readings, live music, and literary programming. Food service integration represents a primary strategy for creating sustainable community gathering spaces. The Used Book Café at Merci in Paris demonstrates how literary venues can provide essential social infrastructure through browse-while-dining experiences that encourage extended community use. Cafebrería El Péndulo in Mexico City operates restaurant-style upper floor dining that creates multi-use community space supporting different social activities throughout extended daily operations. International examples show similar community integration success. Ampersand Café & Bookstore in Sydney houses literary collections across three stories while providing neighbourhood dining services, creating community anchors that serve multiple daily use patterns. Eterna Cadencia in Buenos Aires operates within a residential district, providing café, bar, and outdoor patio services that support local social life while maintaining cultural programming focus. Event programming strategies generate community engagement while supporting operational sustainability. Shakespeare and Company in Paris maintains literary events programming that complements retail operations, while Word on the Water provides live music, poetry readings, and writing workshops that create ongoing community connections beyond transactional relationships. Urban development implications for cultural policy The international success patterns revealed through this research offer guidance for urban cultural policy development, particularly relevant to cities with significant heritage building stock and cultural tourism potential. The data demonstrates how literary-focused venues can address multiple urban challenges simultaneously, including heritage preservation, community social infrastructure, and economic development. Extended operational scheduling appears crucial for community integration success. Market-leading venues maintain average weekly operations of 72 hours compared to traditional retail standards of 56 hours, indicating that community-serving cultural venues require flexible scheduling to accommodate diverse neighbourhood needs. Trinity College Dublin's Sunday operations (12PM-5PM) and venues maintaining consistent seven-day schedules suggest that cultural infrastructure must adapt to contemporary community use patterns rather than institutional convenience. Geographic distribution analysis reveals concentrated success in European markets, with 43% of top-performing venues located in Netherlands, France, UK, and Portugal. This concentration suggests either mature policy environments supporting cultural heritage adaptive reuse or opportunities for knowledge transfer to other regions facing similar heritage preservation and community development challenges. Waterfront utilisation strategies demonstrate innovative approaches to urban cultural programming. Word on the Water operates from London's Regent's Canal, while Péniche L'Eau et les Rêves functions on Paris's Canal de l'Ourcq, proving that cultural venues can activate underutilised urban waterways while providing unique community amenities. These models suggest opportunities for cities with canal or waterfront heritage to develop distinctive cultural infrastructure. The implications extend to planning policy frameworks that could encourage similar cultural development. Successful venues consistently demonstrate revenue diversification through hospitality integration, event programming, and extended operations that suggest cultural venues require different regulatory approaches than traditional retail or library services. For Scottish contexts, the research provides international validation for literary tourism development strategies that could complement existing cultural heritage assets. The success of historic building conversions across diverse international contexts suggests significant potential for similar approaches within Scotland's abundant historic building stock and established literary heritage. The 1000 Libraries findings demonstrate that cultural venues combining heritage preservation with contemporary community programming can achieve sustainable operations while serving essential social infrastructure functions. These models offer frameworks for urban cultural policy that addresses heritage conservation, community development, and economic vitality through integrated approaches. Consumer preference data indicating strong international demand for authentic cultural experiences suggests significant tourism development potential for regions with appropriate heritage assets and supportive policy frameworks. The research provides evidence-based guidance for cultural tourism strategies that could benefit local communities while preserving architectural heritage and generating sustainable economic activity. The comprehensive international dataset from 1000 Libraries represents valuable resource for cultural policy development, offering annual consumer preference research supporting strategic decision-making for heritage preservation and community cultural infrastructure development across diverse urban contexts. Like this: Like Related
Time Business News
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
Literary tourism emerges as global investment opportunity as historic buildings transform into cultural destinations
By Jeremy Liddle, Managing Director of Third Hemisphere, a full service marketing, PR, and public affairs agency with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, HK, the US, EU, and UK The travel industry has discovered its next major trend hiding in plain sight: literary tourism destinations that combine centuries-old architecture with modern hospitality concepts. A comprehensive analysis of consumer preferences involving 200,000 international travelers has identified a new category of cultural destinations that outperform traditional tourist attractions through innovative approaches to experiential travel. These aren't typical tourist sites. They're former religious buildings, abandoned theaters, and repurposed industrial spaces that have been reimagined as immersive literary experiences. From a 13th-century Gothic church in the Netherlands that now houses towering bookshelves beneath medieval frescoes to floating bookshops navigating European canals, these destinations represent a fundamental shift in how travelers seek authentic cultural experiences. The findings, compiled through the largest global survey of literary destinations ever conducted, reveal that travelers increasingly prefer locations where they can engage with local culture through authentic historical settings rather than manufactured tourist attractions. The data suggests this emerging sector could reshape cultural tourism investment strategies, particularly in regions with significant architectural heritage. Historic architecture drives premium travel experiences The most compelling destinations combine architectural preservation with contemporary cultural programming. Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht transforms a restored Gothic church into a multi-level literary experience where visitors can browse books beneath soaring vaulted ceilings and original medieval artwork. The space operates as both a bookstore and cultural venue, hosting readings and live music performances that draw international visitors. Trinity College Dublin's famous Long Room demonstrates how institutional spaces can serve dual functions as scholarly repositories and premium tourist destinations. The 65-meter corridor, lined with literary busts and housing rare manuscripts including the 9th-century Book of Kells, maintains seven-day operations that accommodate both academic researchers and cultural tourists. The venue's consistent comparison to fictional libraries in popular culture has amplified its appeal among international travelers seeking Instagram-worthy experiences with historical depth. Buenos Aires showcases theater-to-cultural-destination conversion through El Ateneo Grand Splendid, where a 1919 performance venue now functions as a bookstore and café. Former viewing boxes serve as intimate reading spaces while the main stage provides panoramic views of elaborately decorated architecture. This model proves that entertainment venues can find second lives as cultural attractions that celebrate both their original purpose and contemporary function. Alternative architectural approaches demonstrate equal tourist appeal. Floating literary venues like Word on the Water, operating from a permanently moored barge on London's Regent's Canal, create unique experiences that utilize underexploited urban waterways. Paris extends this concept through Péniche L'Eau et les Rêves on Canal de l'Ourcq, combining botanical book specialization with canal-side dining in a greenhouse-like interior. Extended operating models maximize tourism revenue Leading literary destinations optimize revenue through sophisticated operational strategies that extend far beyond traditional retail hours. Consumer preference data indicates strong correlation between extended accessibility and tourist satisfaction, with top-performing venues maintaining average weekly operations of 72 hours compared to conventional retail standards of 56 hours. Multi-service integration appears across successful destinations, with food service integration representing the primary revenue diversification strategy. Minoa Pera in Istanbul combines 45,000-title inventory with full café operations, stationery retail, and home décor merchandise while extending weekend hours to midnight. The venue's book-embedded staircase connecting multiple floors creates an architectural feature that encourages extended visits and social media engagement. International examples demonstrate scalable hospitality integration models. The Used Book Café at Merci in Paris offers browse-while-dining experiences with seasonal menu items ranging from breakfast croissants to pumpkin soup. Cafebrería El Péndulo in Mexico City operates two-level configurations with restaurant-style upper floor dining, maintaining 8AM-11PM operations Monday through Saturday that capture both morning commuter traffic and evening entertainment markets. Event programming revenue streams provide additional income diversification while enhancing cultural authenticity. Shakespeare and Company in Paris maintains literary events programming that complements its English-language book retail, while venues like Boekhandel Dominicanen host cultural events including readings and live music performances that attract both local residents and international visitors. Geographic distribution reveals expansion opportunities Regional analysis of successful literary tourism destinations provides strategic insights for travel industry investment. European markets capture 43% of top-performing venues, with Netherlands, France, UK, and Portugal demonstrating mature infrastructure supporting literary tourism development. This concentration suggests either market saturation advantages or underserved opportunities in other geographic regions. Asia-Pacific territories show limited representation despite substantial population density and growing cultural tourism markets. China's single entry through Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, operating within a shopping mall environment with surreal design featuring mirrored ceilings and curved bookcases, demonstrates successful integration with contemporary retail tourism. Strong Australian performance through State Library Victoria in Melbourne and multiple Sydney venues indicates significant market receptivity in English-speaking Asia-Pacific territories. South American markets demonstrate consistent regional performance with Argentina capturing multiple Buenos Aires entries across destination categories. Mexico and Brazil show individual market leadership through venues like Cafebrería El Péndulo and Livraria Funambule, suggesting established local market demand with expansion potential for international tourism marketing. The comprehensive global dataset from the 1000 Libraries survey represents unprecedented market intelligence for cultural tourism sector development. Geographic distribution patterns indicate European market maturity with significant expansion opportunities in underrepresented Asia-Pacific territories, while South American venues demonstrate scalable regional models for literary tourism destination development. Consumer behavior analysis reveals preference patterns relevant for tourism investment strategy development. Extended accessibility through seven-day operations correlates with superior tourist satisfaction metrics, while service integration combining retail, hospitality, and cultural programming demonstrates premium tourist appeal versus single-purpose cultural attractions. Historic architecture commands measurable tourist preference premium over modern construction, indicating defensive positioning potential for destinations competing against digital entertainment alternatives. For tourism industry professionals examining cultural destination alternatives, the 1000 Libraries findings provide evidence-based validation for literary tourism as an emerging sector with quantifiable international demand. The data supports investment strategies focusing on historic building adaptive reuse, multi-service hospitality integration, and geographic expansion into underserved markets with established cultural tourism infrastructure. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
