National Library of Chile
Gustavo García del Postigo · Santiago, Chile · 1925
Chile's National Library occupies a substantial early twentieth-century building on Santiago's principal east-west avenue. Designed by Gustavo García del Postigo and completed in 1925, the institution uses a formal civic frontage and a sequence of interior spaces suited to reading, study and public culture. Its architecture gives the preservation of national collections a clear place in the capital's urban fabric. The contrast between the busy avenue, the building's entrance and its more focused reading environments is central to an architectural visit. Visiting: Public library and exhibition access is normally free. Reading-room registration and security rules may apply.