Riyadh Library Unveils Rare Andalusia Collection

King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh has unveiled a rare Andalusian collection of 84 titles that document the history of Andalusia from 92 AH (711 CE) up to the fall of Granada in 1492, offering residents and researchers a window into nearly eight centuries of history.

The holdings span history, literature, poetry, agriculture, arts, culture, and biographies, and are written in Arabic, English, Spanish, French, German, and Latin. The collection comprises 13 rare Arabic books and 71 rare foreign-language books, many dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries, including unique editions and original prints.

The Andalusian materials form part of the library's wider heritage holdings, which include rare books, documents, manuscripts, maps, photographs, currencies, and coins — tens of thousands of rare items alongside several thousand manuscripts.

The collection is housed within the library's Riyadh branches. The main public location is at 4170 Makkah Al-Mukarramah Road, King Abdullah District, Riyadh 12421, with another major branch in the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in the Al-Murabba area. Branches typically open 08:00–20:00 from Saturday to Thursday and are closed on Friday, while the Murabba branch may operate until 22:00.

Entry to the library in Riyadh is generally free, with no admission fee for reading halls and standard facilities. Visitors can use reading halls, a dedicated manuscript hall, audio-visual halls, and multi-purpose spaces, and can access the manuscript catalog through onsite computers. Researchers view the Andalusian materials via onsite catalog systems and digitized copies rather than handling originals directly, helping preserve these fragile items for future generations.

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