CIMELIA METROPOLITANA : THE HISTORY AND TREASURES OF THE ZAGREB ARCHDIOCESE LIBRARY

Descripción

The Library of the Archdiocese and the Cathedral Chapter of Zagreb, the Metropolitana of Metropolitan Library, is the largest, the most important and the richest historical library in Croatia. The history of the Metropolitan Library begins in the period of the foundation of the Diocese of Zagreb (1093/1094) and continues to the most recent times. Its holdings consist of around 60,000 volumes which make the Metropolitan Library the most diverse and the most valuable historical library in Croatia and in this part pf Europe. Many of the 197 medieval manuscripts preserved in the Metropolitan Library are mentioned in the oldest inventory of Zagreb cathedral compiled in the late 14th century. Manuscripts represent the Library's most valuable collection, followed by the collection of incunabula, the earliest printed books, which enumerates 257 items and is thus the largest in Croatia. The Metropolitan Library holdings include the library of Slovenian polyhistor Johann Weichard Valvasor comprising some 1530 volumes with 2630 titles. Special part of the Library is the famous Valvasor's Collection of Prints and Drawings of the Zagreb Archdiocese with around 7900 prints and drawings, mostly from the 17th century. The Library also preserves a number of volumes from the former library of the Jesuit College, partly incorporated in the original holdings of today's National and University Library in Zagreb. Finally, a valuable addition to the Metropolitan Library holdings in the second half of the 20th century was the library of Duro Koksa (1922 - 1998), the auxiliary bishop of Zagreb, lover and collector of the arts. The volumes of the Metropolitan Library, their illuminations, illustrations and other artistic and decorative elements reflect a thousand years of Croatian cultural history. With this monograph, the Metropolitan Library, today housed in the Croatian State Archives, is splendidly presented to Croatian and international cultural audience as Croatia's first-class cultural monument. In the first chapter, Library's long-time director Rev. Vladimir Magic portrays the history of the Library and the diversity of its collections. In the second chapter, Milan Pelc opens Metropolitana's book treasures: selected manuscripts, incunabula, books printed between the 16th and the 19th century and books from the croatica collection - especially important for Croatian cultural and historical identity. Special attention was given to their valuable visual elements - illuminations, illustrations and decorations of individual books. In the third chapter, Mirna Abaffy gives an insight into Valvasor's Collection of Prints and Drawings of the Zagreb Archdiocese through selected items preserved in the collection. The present monograph provides the reader in the word and image with historical knowledge and visual evidence about the Metropolitan Library and its holdings. N° de ref. del artículo 428863

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