The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Alexandria, Egypt. It is a commemoration of the Library of Alexandria, once one of the largest libraries worldwide, which was lost in antiquity. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina contains books in classical Arabic, English, and French languages. The idea of reviving the old library dates back to 1974 when a committee set up by Alexandria University selected a plot of land for its new library.