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Mount Angel Abbey Library

The only building in the western U.S. designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

Benedict, Oregon

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Interior of Mount Angel Abbey Library   chath / Atlas Obscura User
Interior of Mount Angel Abbey Library   chath / Atlas Obscura User
Interior of Mount Angel Abbey Library   chath / Atlas Obscura User
Interior of Mount Angel Abbey Library   chath / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the 1960s, Mount Angel Abbey, a Catholic monastery of Benedictine monks, approached the famous Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto to design a new library building for the abbey. The result, opened in 1970, is a Modernist beauty, filled with natural lighting and original Aalto-designed furniture in a fan-shaped layout.

The building is one of only four in the U.S. designed by the prolific architect; the three others are in New York City and Massachusetts.

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Library is open to the public Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Hours fluctuate occasionally.

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Published

October 29, 2025

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