National library - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1966 - 1.50 Shilling

Austria's largest and most important library, the Austrian National Library, can look back on a history of many centuries. Originated from the Imperial Court Library, the Austrian National Library today consists of seven collections, namely the collection of printed matter, manuscripts, music, cards and papyrus, the picture archive and the portrait and theater collection. In addition there are a number of technical services and workshops of the bookbindery, printing and duplicating office serving the internal needs. The library is housed in several buildings, the core of which is the main building, designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach at the beginning of the 18th century. In it is the State Hall, which holds about 190,000 volumes. Vienna may boast of having one of the most beautiful and impressive Baroque libraries in this room. With the opening of the new building, the library of Emperor Karl VI. also made publicly available. The first brand of the series is dedicated to the theater collection. It shows figures and decorative elements taken from the hand-colored woodcut illustrations of the comedies of the Roman playwright Terence in the edition of Johann Grueninger (Strasbourg, November 1, 1496).