Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève

5th arrondissement of Paris, France

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Located in Paris's 5th arrondissement, the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève was designed by Henri Labrouste and completed in 1851. This pioneering structure exemplifies the innovative use of cast iron and glass in 19th-century library design, with its distinctive arched iron framework supporting a luminous reading room. The building's refined Renaissance Revival exterior contrasts with its revolutionary interior, where prefabricated iron elements create an airy, light-filled space that became influential for subsequent library architecture. Today classified as a historical monument, it remains a landmark of both functional design and architectural ambition from the Second Empire era.