The white stone exterior of Manchester's Central Reference Library is seen here looking up from Mount Street on the south west side. The circular neoclassical building was opened in 1934 and is one of the the best-loved buildings in the city.

This is one of the last buildings to be built in Manchester which draws on earlier architectural styles, in this case going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. From around 1960 to the present day design influences have been almost exclusively contemporary and high tech.

About the photos

This image is from the portfolio of Aidan O'Rourke photographer writer website publisher. Most images are copyright Aidan O'Rourke and may be available as prints or high resolution files. Some images are by other artists, and are published with their approval, or are included in reviews of their work.

The portfolio contains a wide range of themes and image formats. The images are used to illustrate articles on this site, and to provide information about the subjects depicted.

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Keywords: Manchester, architecture, neo-classical,