Abbey library of Saint Gall

Abbey Library of St. Gallen

The Abbey Library of Saint Gall (German: Stiftsbibliothek) was founded by Saint Othmar, the founder of the Abbey of St. Gall. During a fire in 937, the Abbey was destroyed, but the library remained intact.[1] In 1983 the library together with the Abbey of St. Gall were made a World Heritage Site, as 'a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery'.

The library hall designed by the architect Peter Thumb in a Rococo style, was constructed between 1758-67.[2]

The Collections

The library collection is the oldest in Switzerland, and is one of earliest and most important monastic libraries in the world. Above the entrance door, you can see inscribed in Greek psyché iatreion which translates "apothecary of the soul". The library holds 2,100 manuscripts dating back to the 8th through the 15th centuries, 1,650 incunabula (printed before 1500), and old printed books. These manuscripts are placed inside the glass cases. Irish, Carolingian, and Ottonian are among the best of these manuscripts. The library holds almost 160,000 volumes, and most are available for public use. To know your interest of what you want to read there is a clue at the top of the shelf where you can see cherubs giving clues for your interest. Like for example, the astronomy related books can be seen below the cherub who uses a telescope to observe the astronomy related books.[3] Books published before 1900 are to be read in a special reading room.[4] The manuscript B of the Nibelungenlied is kept here.

A virtual library was created to provide access to the manuscripts — Codices Electronici Sangallenses. Currently more than 400 manuscripts are preserved in digital format.

Some manuscripts

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Murray, Stuart (2009). The Library: An Illustrated History. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
  2. ↑ "Abbey library of St. Gallen /Stiftsbibliothek (Abbey Library) St. Gallen". 2017-01-19. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  3. ↑ "Where to Go". Berlitz: Switzerland Pocket Guide. Princeton, NJ: Berlitz Publishing Company. April 1999. pp. 40–41. ISBN 2-8315-7159-6.
  4. ↑ Murray, Stuart (2009). The Library: An Illustrated History. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. p. 288.

References

  • Beat Matthias von Scarpatetti: Die Handschriften der Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen. Codices 547–669. Hagiographica, Historica, Geographica 8.–18. Jahrhundert. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2003, ISBN 978-3-447-04716-6.
  • Beat Matthias von Scarpatetti: Die Handschriften der Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen. Codices 1726–1984 (14.–19. Jahrhundert). Beschreibendes Verzeichnis. Verlag am Klosterhof, St. Gallen 1983, ISBN 978-3-906616-02-5.
  • David H. Stam, ed. (2001). International Dictionary of Library Histories. Fitzroy Dearborn. ISBN 1579582443.
  •  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Abbey of St. Gall". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • Stiftsbibliothek Sankt Gallen
  • Codices Electronici Sangallenses — project for the digitisation of the medieval manuscripts at St. Gallen
  • e-codices, St. Gallen, Stiffsbibliothek

Coordinates: 47°25′22″N 9°22′35″E / 47.4228°N 9.3764°E / 47.4228; 9.3764

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.