Uzhgorod National University Library - Libraries on Waymarking.com

Uzhgorod National University Library

The building that now houses the Uzhgorod National University Library was originally built with the adjoining Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross that commenced in 1640 by the ruling Druget family. The building which now houses the university library, the first cornerstone being laid in 1641, was built to house the Jesuit collegium and school. This would be the first middle school in Transcarpathia. The original building contained 21 cells for the Jesuit monks, rooms for teachers, chapel, library, study classrooms, a large lecture hall for discussions and theatre performances, rooms for the sick, pharmacy, storage rooms and a kitchen. The monks lived on the second floor while the school operated on the first floor.

By a papal decree in 1773, the Jesuit order was shut down all over the world. The building was given to the State, which continued operating the school. The collegium, however, was shut down and the space was not used. On August 1, 1775 the building was given to the Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo. The Bishop was Andrew Bachinskiy whose coat of arms still decorates the western façade of the library. Bachinskiy converted the building into the Bishop’s residence, although the school would be allowed to continue another ten years.

The palace was completely renovated as it looks today in 1846 under Bishop Vasyl Popovich. On the western façade he placed the coat of arms of four of the most influential Bishops. In the middle is the coat of arms of Andrew Bachinskiy. To the left is Stepan Pankovich and to the right is Vasyl Popovich. Over the arch is the emblem for Bishop July Fircak who planted the gardens in front of the palace.

The first mention of a library dates back to the Jesuits in 1767. On the western side of the building were three large rooms dedicated as a library. Just prior to the First World War the library contained over 20,000 works.

Next to the refectory is a small room which once contained the portraits of Hungarian Kings and Popes. Today there is a small placque placed in 1905 to commemorate the four days that the Hungarian crown was hidden in this room of the Bishop’s residence (December 9-10, 1805 and again March 11-12, 1806) during the invasion by Napoleon.

On February 16, 1949 the Soviet army confiscated the building and used it for officer quarters. The following year the building was given to the National University of Uzhgorod to be used as the University Library, which it functions as even to this day. When Ukraine won its independence in 1991, religious buildings that had been confiscated were returned. But in the case of this library, a deal was made with the Greek-Catholic diocese. They gave up their right of return for land outside of Uzhgorod (village of Mynai) where the state built a modern seminary for the church. Today the library contains over 1,200,000 books.

Classification of Library: Public Library (Open to all) Internet access available: Unknown - Could not verify Hours of Operation: Every Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 18:00 Closed on Saturdays and Sundays Closed on the last Friday of each month for cleaning. Approximate date of opening.: 01/01/1950 Additional Internet Connection Options: Not listed Library Website: Not listed

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