Manchester/Scotland 2025 - Manchester John Ryland's Library First Floor

 

Continuing on our visit to this beautiful library, we have now reached the end of the hall way that curves to the left. In front was the printing press, to our right, a large beautiful glass window, and left a stairways up. But further to the left was a kind of hall that looked more like a church than a library. Let me show you why I said that.

This is the 'small' hall before going up to the actual library. The ceiling was so high up and beautifully carved. The lighting was a gentle yellow which compliments the feel of the whole interior. I shown here a photo of people standing inside so that you can have a reference of how tall those ceilings are.

Is this not church-like to you??? Almost a spiritual experience!

The glass windows are equally tall and runs all the way up! It wasn't a stained glass window, but just circular glasses put into a beautiful design. It looked a lot more logical and sober than the mad colours and drama scene of a church. I kinda like these windows better. Simple, yet elegant and lovely.

More church-like photos for you to admire before we head upstairs in the next post.

From downstairs, you could look up to the second floor. Above was what it looked like, a glimpse of heaven. 

At one of the walls on the first floor, there are decoration on the wall that looked religious. Curious me decided to google whether this old building was ever a church. I am happy to share that it was never a church! According to the internet, it was built as a memorial to wealthy textile merchant John Rylands by his widow, Enriqueta, it's designed to feel like a grand secular cathedral dedicated to books, housing rare manuscripts and early printed books.  The building reminded me very much of the London's Natural History Museum that was also another church-like building to me that is secular in nature. I love that secular people can have such a lovely place to go to :)

As promised in the earlier post, here is a closeup of the printing press. It looked like a giant sewing machine :) I don't know how it worked, or read up on it. I just thought it looked like a nice furniture :P

Wefie of us with the ceiling of the first floor. I love the design of the building so much.