Al-Qarawiyyin Library - The Oldest Library in the World

by Michelle Mojisola Savage 

No one is a monopoly on knowledge; therefore, we will always need libraries. Although it has become more convenient to access information through digital libraries like ZODML’s online library, traditional libraries are still more popular. Nothing beats the smell of old books and that familiar tranquility usually pierced by loud ringtones. There is no doubt that conventional libraries will continue to stand the test of time, which begs an important question. What is the oldest library still standing today?

Al-Qarawiyyin Library holds the prestigious title of the oldest existing and operating library in the world. Located in Fez, Morocco, the library is a part of the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, built by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 AD, almost 1,200 years ago. It housed some of the rarest manuscripts in the world and was a famous center of learning and religious activities in the ancient Islamic world. 

Fatima bint Muhammad al Fihriyya al Qurashiya was the daughter of a wealthy Arab merchant. She inherited a large sum of money from her father’s estate and used it to build the Al-Qarawiyyin complex – mosque, university, and library. The library's archives are estimated to contain 4,000 manuscripts. It also holds writings by important historians from North Africa and the Middle East. For centuries, the library attracted students and scholars from around the world, hoping to delight in the wisdom of early historians or enrich the library's archives. In 1323, a fire reportedly destroyed hundreds of manuscripts in the library.

Due to the dilapidated state of the library, it was closed to the public for centuries. However, in 2012, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture decided to renovate it. The restoration was handled by Aziza Chaouni, a Morrocan-Canadian architect. Built by a Moroccan woman and restored by another. What a grand tribute! Chaouni gave the library a 21st-century revamp, repairing years of damage caused by weather and humidity from an underground river. Earlier, the most valuable things in the library were kept behind an iron door with keys held by four different people, but now, strict security and an underground canal system have been installed to protect the manuscripts. The library also has a new laboratory for digitizing and preserving old texts.

After years of restoration, the library finally reopened in 2017. Along with the laboratory, the library is now equipped with a new gutter system, solar panels, air conditioning, and digital locks. It also has a wing open to the public that includes a small café and a gallery. The restoration of Al-Qarawiyyin is a fitting tribute to Fatima al-Fihri, an excellent woman who gave all her wealth to the advancement and preservation of knowledge.