Of Books and Bats

While conspicuous wonders captivate our senses, there is a very small group of elite, foundational wonders that intrigue and challenge inquisitive minds. A prominent member of this group is variability - a phenomenon featuring a small number of basic ingredients that are responsible for a large diversity of resulting specimens. For instance, just 26 letters provide for anywhere between 170,000 and one million of English words - that's an almost ridiculous ratio of at least 6,500 words per letter! The situation in other areas is similar, even if the ratios are less mind-blowing. There are only so many types of natural wonders (mountains, rivers, geysers, volcanos, deep ravines and such) but quite a few of individual ones present their own unique story. Likewise, manmade marvels - one might mention palaces, cathedrals, castles, viaducts, robots and other technological breakthroughs but will be hard put to add to the list sooner rather than later. On the other hand, there is at least one blog covering nothing but libraries - not even bookstores, just libraries. Dozens and dozens of them scattered all over the world, each of them one of a kind in, at least, one way. The blog is replete with expressions like "Hogwarts vibe", "palace splendor", "time-traveling temple of wisdom". Marsh Library in Dublin is among those mentioned in the blog but, surprisingly, Biblioteca Joanina in Coimbra isn't.

Built in 1728 and named after King John the V, the library has all of the above-mentioned characteristics, just not necessarily presented the way one might expect them to be. The cover picture is about the closest proof of the place being a library any visiting individual can hope to walk away with. The shelves are located on the second level (one below the official main entrance), and that's - along with the "basement" - where taking pictures is permitted. Doing so on the so-called Noble Floor hosting all the splendor the library boasts (three halls full of ancient books, magnificent pictures, exquisite adornments and about every example of rich art imaginable) would likely result not only in the offender's immediate removal from the premises but also in criminal charges for manslaughter. Or, to be precise, batslaughter - because it's to shield the library's 200-year-old colony of bats that the ban is enforced, first and foremost. The bats rest during the day and protect the books while "working nightshifts" by feasting on moth, beetles and similar book-loving (quite literally!) insects. In other words, Joanina is one of the only two libraries in the world resorting to natural pest control. Since the other such library is located in Mafra, not far from Lisbon, there is every reason to talk of Portuguese unique know-how.

As for "Hogwarts vibe", it's to be found in the basement-cum-visitors' main entrance. Based on the evidence

the vibe might be reminiscent of Hogwarts dungeons because the area was for several centuries used as the Academic Prison for the University of Coimbra the library had from the onset been designed to be part of.