Weimar, Germany, October 24, 2007Shining with fresh gilt, Germany's rococo Anna Amelia Library, a UN World Heritage site, reopened this week after it had been gutted by fire in 2004.

The nearly 18-million-U.S.-dollar restoration renewed the 18th-century palace and added a modern sprinkler system. But it couldn't replace some 50,000 rare books worth an estimated 95 million U.S. dollars.

Lost volumes include a 16th-century book by the astronomer Copernicus and handwritten journals of the explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859).

 More Photos in the News
 Today's Top 15 Most Popular Stories
 Free Email Newsletter: "Focus on Photography"