Harun
The House of Wisdom began under Harun al-Rashid as the Abbasid state's library.
The House of Wisdom
In Baghdad rose the greatest library and translation centre of its age — in twelve cards.
Al-Ma'mun
Under al-Ma'mun it became the world's greatest centre of learning and translation.
The dream
It is told that al-Ma'mun saw Aristotle in a dream and turned to philosophy.
The translation
He ordered the books of the Greeks, Persians and Indians translated into Arabic.
Hunayn
Hunayn ibn Ishaq was the greatest translator — he read Greek and wrote flawless Arabic.
The gold
It is told that he was paid the weight of his books in gold for translations.
The Canon
He translated Galen, Hippocrates and Aristotle, so medicine and philosophy became Arabic.
The stars
In the House they measured the heavens, observed the stars and built astrolabes.
The tables
Al-Khwarizmi wrote the first Arabic zij — tables of the heavens.
The open house
It was not only a state library — it was a house of learning open to every scholar.
The burning
In 1258 Hulagu took Baghdad; the books were thrown into the Tigris until its water ran black with ink.
The legacy
Its legacy remains: hundreds of translated books that moved Europe's sciences for centuries.
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- Harun
The House of Wisdom began under Harun al-Rashid as the Abbasid state's library. - Al-Ma'mun
Under al-Ma'mun it became the world's greatest centre of learning and translation. - The dream
It is told that al-Ma'mun saw Aristotle in a dream and turned to philosophy. - The translation
He ordered the books of the Greeks, Persians and Indians translated into Arabic. - Hunayn
Hunayn ibn Ishaq was the greatest translator — he read Greek and wrote flawless Arabic. - The gold
It is told that he was paid the weight of his books in gold for translations. - The Canon
He translated Galen, Hippocrates and Aristotle, so medicine and philosophy became Arabic. - The stars
In the House they measured the heavens, observed the stars and built astrolabes. - The tables
Al-Khwarizmi wrote the first Arabic zij — tables of the heavens. - The open house
It was not only a state library — it was a house of learning open to every scholar. - The burning
In 1258 Hulagu took Baghdad; the books were thrown into the Tigris until its water ran black with ink. - The legacy
Its legacy remains: hundreds of translated books that moved Europe's sciences for centuries.