The Alexandrina Library is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It was built in commemoration of the ancient Library of Alexandria that was lost in antiquity, in an attempt to revive something of the brilliance that this earlier center of study and erudition represented.

In 1987 came out an ambitious cultural project: to build a new library, the Alexandrina Library, this happened 1600 years after the disappearance of these large collections of knowledge. To carry out such a project joined the efforts of various European countries, economic, and Arab Americans, the more the Egyptian government and UNESCO. The budget that year was $ 230 million. Work began on May 15, 1995 and was completed successfully on December 31, 1996. In his opening came three kings: that of Spain, Sweden and Jordan, as well as some heads of state.

The building, designed by the Norwegian architectural studio Snohetta AS, was a huge barrel of cement, glass and granite brought from Aswan to the facade with bas calligraphy provided in most languages of the world, has an area of 36,770 meters square with a height of 33 meters. That is consists of eleven levels, four of which are below street level.