The Biblioteca del Sol is a highly durable underground mountain library built on the co-collection of books, maps and local heirloom seeds which aims to preserve knowledge about art, crafts, science and spirituality, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and human rights. The project recognises the fragility of digital storage systems, and the strong change in human culture brought about by digital technology. It captures and questions human culture in a timeless womb, embedded in a mountain of the Alpujarra region of the Sierra Nevada, at high altitude where conditions are dry and temperatures stable.
The cultural artifacts are stored for reflection and future use in response to the very unstable situation worldwide, but particularly in Europe. These are times of transformation, upheaval and unpredictability during which sadly much cultural and historical heritage is destroyed, intentionally, or otherwise. This includes libraries, architecture, knowledge, languages, landscapes and entire peoples. The Biblioteca del Sol community wishes to secure a fraction of what may otherwise be lost over the next years and decades, for us to turn to if needed at a later point in time. If you would like to know more about the project take a look at the biblioteca’s White Paper.
The Biblioteca del Sol project was originally realised by the Cosco Foundation but the associated websites and social media presences have over time been reduced and consolidated to decentralise the biblioteca, and to make online work pertaining to the various initiatives of the Cosco Foundation more manageable.
The project is locally handled by Belgian artist Louis De Cordier, but the books, maps and seeds stored there are sent in by a worldwide community. If you have a book which you feel contains important information pertaining to sustainability, healthy community, resilience, traditional crafts and heritage, art, or important scientific, or spiritual knowledge about who we are as human beings, then this may be a valuable addition to the library.
Louis De Cordier lives remotely, off-grid in the Alpujarra. He collects books sent to the library in collaboration with a local local gas station which has been authorised to sign off the paper work if packages arrive via courier services. The packages are stored at the gas station until picked up by Louis who then handles the sent in material as outlined in the above video and the White Paper. The address for sending books and other material to the biblioteca is:
Louis De Cordier
GASOLINERA CADÍAR
Carretera Granada 2
Cádiar, Granada 18440
España
Número de teléfono: 682360276
A poem for you
Written on April 15, 2025, near Bucine, Tuscany, Italy.
Silent waters
Silent waters beneath the mountain –
Vessels of tomorrow and yesterday,
Wrapped in layers of golden light,
Branching out like a fountain.
Nothing goes, nothing stays,
Clarity filled with rainbow rays –
Stretching their roots into the human heart.
Silent radiation of powerful waves,
Changing this world, changing all shapes.
2 thoughts on “Biblioteca del Sol in Andalusia’s mountains (Spain)”
What a wonderful idea and thoughtful project with the biblioteka del Sól! I am now thinking of what seeds and books I could send. Thank you Louis for that !
I love the poem x
Thank you Ania! I find the project very inspiring too.