Bodleian Library, Oxford (must see)

The Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and among the most important historic institutions in Oxford. Serving as the main research library of the University of Oxford, it traces its origins to the 14th century, when Thomas Cobham founded a university library above the Old Congregation House at the University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. This early collection operated as a chained library, with books fastened to shelves to prevent theft. In 1437, a major donation of manuscripts from Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester outgrew the available space, leading to the creation of Duke Humfrey’s Library above the Divinity School.

The central architectural highlight is the Tower of the Five Orders, located on the eastern side of the Old Schools Quad. To find this feature, stand in the centre of the courtyard and look up at the gateway. Look for the five distinct levels of classical columns—Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite—designed as a “textbook in stone” for students entering the library in the 17th century.

Over the centuries, the library expanded into a complex of historic buildings connected across central Oxford. The New Bodleian, completed in 1937, is linked to the older sections by a tunnel beneath Broad Street. Together, the library’s collections include more than 13 million items spread across roughly 153 miles of shelving. Among its treasures are copies of the Magna Carta, the medieval epic The Song of Roland, and one of the surviving copies of the Gutenberg Bible.

Guided tours, which should be booked in advance, allow non-students to enter spaces normally reserved for researchers. Duke Humfrey’s Library is especially striking, and other notable details include the original timbered ceilings and remnants of the ancient chained-book system. Once on the upper level, look for the small iron rings attached to the shelves where books were once secured to prevent theft.

Located on the ground floor of the complex, and often visible before ascending to the upper libraries, is the Divinity School. It reveals the architectural foundations of the university dating from the 15th century. To find this highlight, enter the room directly below Duke Humfrey’s Library and look up at the ceiling to see the 455 intricate stone bosses carved into the fan vaulting, considered a pinnacle of medieval craftsmanship.

The library has a quiet, almost theatrical atmosphere, making it one of the most rewarding stops in Oxford for Harry Potter fans. Film fans may recognize Duke Humfrey’s Library from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, where it appeared as the Hogwarts Library, more specifically the forbidden Restricted Section. In the film, Harry slips inside at night under his invisibility cloak, moving between the old wooden bookcases in search of information about Nicolas Flamel. One memorable moment shows Harry pulling out a chained book, only for it to let out a piercing scream and expose his secret visit.