Cleveland Public Library- Cleveland, OH

After a rough couple of months, it’s time to get back to the act of appreciating fabulous architecture, and the Cleveland Public library is an excellent place to start. Filled with fabulous design details, the inspiring space is a reminder of how prominent Cleveland once was.

Designed by the Cleveland architectural firm of Walker & Weeks, winners of a national design competition, the Beaux Arts beauty opened in 1925. Costing $5 million, the exterior exhibits neoclassical elements, while the interior reflects a Renaissance aesthetic, including a sweeping staircase carved from Botticino marble, and vaulted ceilings featuring fantastic mythological paintings.

The lobby features a stunning globe made of pearl art glass, as well as a window pane depicting the Lamp of Knowledge, a symbol of learning; above, a fascinating mural of historic figures such as Shakespeare, Plato and da Vinci elevates the space. The grand reading room boasts a magnificent coffered ceiling, travertine floor and and a 1934 WPA mural painted by William Sommer.

Upstairs, the special collection room is an equally stunning space, accessed through a Gothic hall. With wrought iron balconies, and an elaborate ceiling, it’s one of the building’s most impressive spaces. Part of the city’s larger Group Plan of 1903, which includes the adjacent mall, the Cleveland Public Library is an excellent window into Cleveland’s prosperous past, and one of the city’s most impressive buildings.