My wife and I visited the Mt. Angel Abbey, Oregon. The grounds are gorgeous and serene.

Their library caught my interest. Designed by architect Alvar Aalto, the library has sweeping, graceful floors and ramps.

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Brother Christopher took us for a tour of the rare book vaults. Got to view books dating back to the 13th century, printed on parchment, which still looks surprisingly fresh today.

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Mt Angel Abbey rare illuminated manuscript
I was so enthralled, I forgot to take photos of the books. This is from the Mt Angel Abbey website.

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See also: In Portland, gotta stop at Powells