In the shape of a solar disk, Alexandria's new library was built on the site of its prestigious predecessor and is set to shine once more in the Mediterranean world. Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, it seems to emerge from the water. The side facing the sea has a sloping wall made entirely of glass; the granite façade looking towards the town is covered with all the alphabets of the world in a nod to the universalism of this new temple of knowledge. As well as a gigantic reading room spanning seven levels, it houses several museums, a planetarium, a conference centre and a research centre.