This vast old library with its beautiful wood-lined reading room was built in 1915 to house the 41,500 books bequeathed to Santander by local teacher, philosopher and poet Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo (1856–1912). Visits begin with a detailed video about the scholar’s life (available in English). Right behind the library stands his family home, the Casa-Museo de Menéndez Pelayo.
Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo
Santander
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Nearby Santander attractions
1. Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo
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Santander’s art museum offers an extensive eclectic collection spanning the 16th to 21st centuries. Much of it is secondary Spanish art, though you’ll…
2. Casa-Museo de Menéndez Pelayo
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