11. Nalanda University was home to one of the most important libraries in all of Asia and scholars flocked there from all over the world to make use of its collections.
Between the 5th and the 13th centuries, Nalanda, a huge Buddhist monastery in modern-day India, was a veritable temple of learning. Scholars flocked there from all across Asia, many of them enticed by rumors of its legendary library. And, indeed, if the accounts are to be believed – and some are most probably exaggerated – the Nalanda University Library was like nothing the world had ever seen. Put together, its shelves would have stretched for miles, and they held almost all of human knowledge at that point. Tragically, however, almost all of it was to be destroyed and lost for good.
According to some sources, as many as 9 million books filled the library’s shelves, covering a wide range of subjects and attracting scholars from all over the continent. But in 1193, tragedy struck. Nalanda was sacked by the Turkish Muslim invaders, also known as the Mamluks. Despite – or perhaps because of – the treasures it contained, the library was burned to the ground. Since there were so many manuscripts, it’s said that the fire burned for more than three days