Every picture you see on this page is a link to see more, please click on each picture on this page to see the complete presentation.
| In the early 1960s, library director Fr. Barnabas Reasoner, OSB approached the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto to design a new library building for the abbey. A report of that meeting was published in the March 1966 issue of the Mount Angel Abbey Library Bulletin. Because of his love of libraries and the special qualities of the Mount Angel Abbey site, Aalto agreed to design the library for a nominal fee. The building was completely funded through the generosity of Howard and Jean Vollum, who also contributed to the library’s endowment.The architecture of the Abbey Library reflects and shapes its spirit and purpose. The building’s natural light illumines the multi-color bindings of the books which are offered on open stacks against a disciplined black and white background, softened by undulating curves and light colored wood. The structure, including three stories and a mezzanine, was completed in 1970. The entire library, with the exception of the bottom floor, is awash in natural light.
The library seats 200 patrons in 30 closed and 40 open carrels. It accommodates a comfortable reading room with current issues of over 300 periodicals, a music listening and group study room, large study tables on the ground floor, and sunlit study areas around the staircases. The library collection numbers over 225,000 volumes while the building could hold up to 300,000 volumes. |
| Please take a tour of this magnificent building. There are 8 images from different vantage points. Please select the vantage point from the upper right drop down menu. Use the full screen button and you can over ride the auto rotation with your mouse, up, down, in and out. |
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| In addition to panorama’s we have a selection of fine photography of the interior |
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Mt Angel Abbey Monastery
St Benedict, Oregon
St Benedict, Oregon
