Det Kgl. Bibliotek, The Royal Library

The Royal Danish Library is defined by the sharp, angular silhouette of its waterfront extension, known as the Black Diamond. Clad in polished black granite quarried in Zimbabwe and processed in Italy, the building’s dark, reflective surface contrasts against the harbor water. It was designed by architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen and completed in nineteen ninety-nine as a modern counterpart to the original library building, which dates to nineteen oh six and was inspired by the palace chapel of Charlemagne in Aachen.