21 Most Instagrammable College Libraries Around The World

By

Akanksha Sharma

November 11, 2025

12. The Library of El Escorial, Complutense University of Madrid (Spain)

Monasterio de El Escorial. San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid. Al usar una ISO de 3200 se nota mucho el ruido en esta cámara. Pero el sitio es espectacular. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons @Miguel Angel Masegosa Martínez

Part of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, this library is a Renaissance jewel. With ceiling frescoes that rival the Sistine Chapel and gilded wooden bookshelves housing centuries-old manuscripts, it’s a majestic backdrop for any photo. The dramatic symmetry, marble floors, and vast globe collection make it feel more like a royal gallery than a reading space. Natural light pours through arched windows, illuminating a space where art, architecture, and scholarship collide—ideal for history buffs, aesthetes, and anyone chasing that perfect “study in a palace” moment.

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