Galleries · Mid Wales
National Library of Wales
In or near Llanilar.
National Library of Wales — Welsh archive and research library.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- Vale of Rheidol · 0.8 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
The National Library of Wales is located at postcode SY23 3BU and is accessible via the nearest railway station, Vale of Rheidol, which is 0.8 km away. Entry to the library is free, and it is wheelchair accessible.
About
National Library of Wales is an art gallery in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1907. Heritage designation: National Monuments of Wales. Managed by Welsh Government. Wikidata describes it as: "Welsh archive and research library". Coordinates: 52.4144°, -4.0685°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
http://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=10417
From Cadw under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
The National Library of Wales is a significant cultural institution that houses a vast collection of the nation's treasures, including books, art, manuscripts, and audiovisual archives. Visitors can explore the rich history and story of Wales through its extensive resources.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
The National Library of Wales (Welsh: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, pronounced [ˈɬəvrɡɛɬ ɡɛnɛdˈleɨθɔl ˈkəmrɨ]) is the national legal deposit library of Wales and a Welsh Government sponsored body, located in Aberystwyth. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million books and periodicals, and the largest collections of archives, portraits, maps, and photographic images in Wales. The Library is also home to the national collection of Welsh manuscripts, the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, and the most comprehensive collection of paintings and topographical prints in Wales. As the primary research library and archive in Wales and one of the largest research libraries in the United Kingdom, the National Library is a member of Research Libraries UK (RLUK) and the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL). At the very core of the National Library of Wales is the mission to collect and preserve materials related to Wales and Welsh life and those which can be utilised by the people of Wales for study and research. Welsh is the Library's main medium of communication, but it does aim to deliver all public services in Welsh and English.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1873, a committee was set up to collect Welsh material and house it at University College, Aberystwyth. In 1905, the government promised money in its budget to establish a National Library and a National Museum of Wales, and the Privy Council appointed a committee to decide on the location of the two institutions. David Lloyd George, who later became Prime Minister, supported the effort to establish the National Library in Aberystwyth, The Charter stipulated that if the National Library of Wales should be removed from Aberystwyth then the manuscripts donated by Sir John Williams will become the property of the University College. A new Royal Charter was granted in 2006. The National…
Architecture
On 15 July 1911, King George V and Queen Mary laid the foundation stone of the National Library of Wales. Designed by architect Sidney Greenslade, who won the competition to design the building in 1909, the building at Grogythan, off Penglais Hill, was ready for occupation in August 1915 but the task of transferring the collections was not completed until 1 March 1916, St David's Day. The grounds (landscaping) of the National Library of Wales are also Grade II listed, and are seen as a significant part of the historical landscape of Wales with the landscaping both supporting, and playing a key part of the overall architectural design of the library building. The Library is faced with…
Description
The National Library's collection of works ascribed to Euclid contains more than 300 volumes, representing 270 editions, and is considered to be an important reference point for Euclidean bibliographical studies. The collection has been developed through additions to the initial thirty-nine volumes of early editions of the Elements that Sir Charles Thomas-Stanford donated in 1927,
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.4144, -4.0685
- District
- Ceredigion
- Parish
- Aberystwyth
- Postcode
- SY23 3BU
- Parliamentary constituency
- Ceredigion Preseli
- Established
- 1907
- Nearest railway station
- Vale of Rheidol — 0.8 km
- Official site
- www.library.wales
Sources
- wikidata: Q666063 (CC0)
- wikipedia: National Library of Wales (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: National Library of Wales.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is National Library of Wales?
- National Library of Wales is in Mid Wales, United Kingdom (postcode SY23 3BU), in the parish of Aberystwyth.
- What is National Library of Wales?
- National Library of Wales — Welsh archive and research library.
- How do I get to National Library of Wales?
- The nearest railway station is Vale of Rheidol, about 0.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode SY23 3BU.
- When was National Library of Wales built?
- Built or established in 1907.
- Who runs National Library of Wales?
- National Library of Wales is operated by Welsh Government.
- Is National Library of Wales a listed building?
- National Library of Wales is officially recognised as National Monuments of Wales listed.
- Is National Library of Wales free to visit?
- Yes, National Library of Wales is free to enter.
- How do I get to National Library of Wales?
- The nearest railway station is Vale of Rheidol, about 0.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SY23 3BU.