The Austrian National Library’s State Hall is one of the most magnificent spaces in Vienna. Often called the most beautiful library in the world, the Prunksaal is a masterpiece of Baroque theatre and a monument to the Habsburg obsession with grandeur, order and immortality.

Commissioned by Emperor Charles VI in the early 18th century and designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, the hall stretches nearly 80 metres, with its central frescoed dome as the dramatic centrepiece. Beneath this great dome, the space opens into a vast rotunda where a statue of Charles VI stands at the heart of swirling clouds, with angels and imperial symbolism painted above.

Huge, dark, polished wood shelves filled with ancient tomes line the walls. Ladders lean against them like relics left behind by forgotten scholars. Gigantic ornate globes are dotted around the room, which were once tools for navigating both the earth and the heavens and they remind visitors of a time when knowledge was written by hand.

Entry is simple, you don’t need to book in advance, just purchase a ticket at the desk on arrival. During peak seasons, it’s worth arriving early, as the hall can become busy!