Location : Library Of The Academy Of Sciences
Saint Petersburg.
It was founded by Peter I, although the decree itself has not reached our days and September 1714 is considered the founding date – the beginning of the issuance of books from the library to readers.
The first state public library in Russia. The foundation of its collection was the manuscripts and books of the Kremlin Tsar’s Library in Moscow, the personal collection of Peter I at the Summer Palace, the Pharmaceutical Order, the Gottorpt Library of the Dukes of Holstein, the Mitau Library of the Dukes of Courland, and the book and manuscript collections of associates of Peter I.
In1901, due to the decay of the heating system, a fire broke out in the Library, during which more than 1,500 volumes of valuable publications were lost. This event accelerated the decision to build a new building for the Library. In 1910, a government estimate was approved for the construction of the new Library building, in 1914 the construction was completed, but due to the outbreak of World War I it was transferred to the War Department, which housed the 166th combined evacuation hospital. The library entered this building only in 1925.