It’s easy to think of libraries at dusty old buildings without much aesthetic appeal, but these incredible book rooms will change the way you think about libraries forever. From Austria to Washington D.C., to the United Kingdom, this gallery features some of the most breathtaking libraries from around the world.

Butler Library at Columbia University — New York, N.Y.

Vatican Library — Vatican City

Library at the Benedictine Monastery of Admont — Admont, Austria

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut

Royal Portuguese Reading Room — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Library of Congress — Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

The Library of Melk Abbey — Austria

University of Aberdeen Library — United Kingdom