Keeping a large collection of books in a canal city prone to flooding was always a dangerous idea, which is why Veniceโs Libreria Acqua Alta had decided to store its books inside bathtubs, waterproof bins, and even a full-sized gondola.
โHundredsโ of books were destroyed in the flood on Tuesday night, the shop’s owners told Italian literary blog Libreriamo.it on Wednesday.โWe call ourselves Acqua Alta (High Water). We expect high water, but not this high,โ co-owner Diana said.
Said by many to be one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, Libreria Acqua Alta has for years attracted visitors from around the world keen to see the whimsical water-themed store for themselves.
The ground-level shopโs โfire escapeโ is simply a door leading directly out into a canal, and the interior is frequented by neighborhood cats, who are able to take refuge from rising water levels atop the stacks of books.