The Old University Library in Copenhagen

The Old University Library on Fiolstraede is defined by the red brick facade and the heavy iron gate adorned with a golden owl, the traditional symbol of knowledge. Architect Johan Daniel Herholdt designed this building in the eighteen fifties to mimic the style of northern Italian churches, specifically to ensure the heavy book collections would not cause the floors to sag. Students once studied under those vaulted ceilings while iron pipes carried heated air to keep the ancient parchment from rotting in the damp Copenhagen winters.