Bamberg State Library
Encyclopedia
Research library
A research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
with priority given to the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
. Today it is housed in the New Residence, the former prince-bishop's new palace. The Free State of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
is responsible for the library.
Overview
The Bamberg State Library supplies the town of BambergBamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
and the region Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia is a Regierungsbezirk of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia , all now part of the German Federal State of Bayern .With more than 200 independent breweries which brew...
with literature for research and study purposes, professional work and advanced training. The historically grown holdings of more than 500,000 volumes are continuously supplemented and enlarged by acquisitions in all general fields, and in specialized areas such as the history and geography of (Upper) Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
, art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and appreciation, manuscripts and the printed book.
It cooperates in all areas of librarianship with the University Library of Bamberg.
One of its regional tasks is to acquire documentary material on and of persons who are connected with the region.
More over it gets the legal deposit
Legal deposit
Legal deposit is a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of their publications to a repository, usually a library. The requirement is mostly limited to books and periodicals. The number of copies varies and can range from one to 19 . Typically, the national library is one of the...
for the region of Upper Franconia; that means the Bamberg State Library receives a copy of every book published in Upper Franconia and continues to compile a complete bibliography of the region.
It also provides space for book collections belonging to Bamberg institutions such as the Historische Verein, the Naturforschende Gesellschaft, the Kunstverein Bamberg the E.-T.-A.-Hoffmann-Gesellschaft and the Bamberg group of the Frankenbund.
Its high esteem to be a research library of international rank is based on its rich manuscripts holdings. This collection may be traced back to the emperor Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
, who founded the bishopric of Bamberg in 1007. Two of these manuscripts became part of the Memory of the World of the UNESCO in 2004: Bamberg Apocalypse
Bamberg Apocalypse
The Bamberg Apocalypse is an 11th century richly illuminated manuscript containing the Book of Revelation and a Gospel Lectionary....
(Msc.Bibl.140) and Kommentar zum Hohen Lied, zu den Sprüchen Salomos und zum Buch Daniel (Msc.Bibl.22).
Holdings in figures
- 500,000 volumes in total
- 80,000 graphicsGraphicsGraphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
and photographs - 3,500 incunabula (15th century prints)
- 4,500 manuscripts in total
- 1,000 medieval manuscripts
- 1,700 current journals
History
The nucleus of the collection may be traced back to the emperor Henry II, who founded the bishopric of Bamberg in 1007. Among his gifts to the cathedral were many precious manuscripts, which he and his predecessors had collected or commissioned. Manuscripts from various spiritual centres of the West were brought to Bamberg as a result. In the ensuing period many books were written and illuminated in the town, notably in the 12th century by the BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks of the Michaelsberg Abbey
Michaelsberg Abbey
Michaelsberg Abbey is a former monastery of the Benedictine Order, belonging to the Subiaco Congregation. The monastery is situated on the Michaelsberg , about 40 metres above the town of Siegburg...
.
Bamberg was the first place where printed books in the German language were illustrated with woodcuts. Although only fragments of the very first period of printing in Bamberg can be found in the library, the collection of 3,500 incunabula documents the wide range of book production in the 15th century.
All that remained of these manuscripts and books in the monasteries of the town and bishopric up to 1802/1803 was incorporated into one library (now the State Library) during the period of secularisation and merged with the library of the university, which had been founded in 1648 as a Jesuit academy and was closed at that time. Bamberg became part of Bavaria. In the course of the 19th century the library was enriched by gifts such as Joseph Heller's collection, which today comprises 80,000 prints and drawings. The E. T. A. Hoffmann material became a special collection in our times, as did, more recently, the autograph book
Autograph book
An autograph book is a book in which one collects the autographs of others. Traditionally, these books would include small pieces of verse, personal messages, poems, and drawings from one's friends. Yearbooks, friendship books, and guest books are modern derivations...
from the 18th and 19th century.
Holdings
The Bamberg State Library receives a copy of every book published in Upper Franconia and continues to compile a complete bibliography of the region. It's specialised areas are the history and geography of (Upper) Franconia, art history and appreciation, manuscripts and the printed book.Building
The Bamberg State Library nowadays is housed in the east wing of the New Residence of Bamberg which was built by Johann DientzenhoferJohann Dientzenhofer
Johann Dientzenhofer was a builder and architect during the Baroque period in Germany.Johann was born in St. Margarethen near Rosenheim, Bavaria, a member of the famous Dientzenhofer family of German architects, who were among the leading builders in the Bohemian and German Baroque which included...
(1697-1703) on behalf of Prince-Bishop Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1694 until 1729, and the Bishop of Bamberg from 1693 until 1729.Lothar Franz was born in Steinheim am Main in 1655 to Count Philip Erwin of Schönborn...
. Originally, the administration of the bishopric was placed in that wing of the building.
The so called Dominikanerräume are part of the library's showrooms which are not open to public. They are so called because of the bookshelves from the Dominican monastery that were brought to the library during the secularisation when the monastery was closed down.
The Vierzehnheiligenpavillion on the third floor also belongs to the internal showrooms. It was the prince-bishop's library room. Since 1978, the former wine cellar serves as closed access stacks.
The library presents in the entrance hall precious glass paintings dating from the 16th and 17th century. Joseph Heller, an art historian and collector, left them as legacy to the library.
The reading room can be reached from the entrance hall. In former times, it served the Prince-Bishop as audience room and summer room. The reading room provides a fascinating view over the Rose Garden
Rose Garden
-Locations:* Rose Garden , indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon, United States* Rose Garden, California, former town* Rose Garden, San Jose, California, neighborhood* Rose Garden, nickname for Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong, Thailand...
which also was built on behalf of Prince-Bishop Lothar Franz von Schönborn.
During the exhibitions taking place several times a year the Sternengewölbe and the former Gartensaal – or Scagliolasaal – can be visited.
External links
- Website of the Bamberg State Library (in English)
- Manuscripts of Henry II with the digital collections of manuscripts traced back to Henry II Holy Roman Emperor
- Treasures of the Bamberg State Library with the digital collections of rare books, manuscripts and graphics