The City Library
The library building on S:t Petri Kyrkogata, is a glass structure that allows the greenery from the old park behind the library to become an integral part of the library environment. The building was completed in 1970 and designed by Danish architect, Flemming Lassen, who was also responsible for designing several libraries in Denmark. The total cost for the construction and interior fittings was approx. 10 million kronor and included a floor space of 5500 m2 with an additional 1000 m2 for the city’s archives in the library basement. The library also houses a cafeteria, an auditorium for programmed activities and study-circle rooms for smaller groups. The old park, the Löwegrenska Gardens, date back to the eighteenth century and are named after Professor M.K. Löwegren, who owned the gardens at the end of the nineteenth century.
The theatrical group Månteatern now utilizes the auditorium and the city archives have been moved to the archive centre at Gastelyckan.
Lund City Library was founded in 1864 and located in a small corner of the parish registrar’s office on Krafts Torg, where the Cathedral Chapter House stands today. In 1870, the library moved to Södra school (now Vårfrus school), where it remained until 1900. It was then moved to Ugglan, the newly built parish hall on Södra Esplanaden. In 1928, the public library, which had now been taken over by the City Council, was relocated in the Town Hall opposite the Cathedral. Here it remained until it moved to its present premises in 1970.