Manuscripts Collection
Manuscripts Collection
In the Manuscripts Collection, the National Library holds approximately 270 fully preserved medieval manuscripts (dating from the 7th century to 1638), over 500 partially preserved medieval manuscripts (corresponding to over 400 bibliographic entities), and about 50 medieval manuscripts that were written to accompany printed books. There are also about some 600 manuscript call numbers (including modern authors’ archives) from the second half of the 17th to the late 20th centuries.
Online resources
The National Library offers its readers an ever-growing number of digital documents.
Viewings
Documents in this collection are not available for home loan. However, you can view them in our Dr Jean-Claude Loutsch Rare Books Reading Room on the 1st floor. A member of staff will guide you in the proper handling of these precious documents.
Part of the collection is referenced in a-z.lu and can be pre-ordered online or by written request.
Documents in the spotlight
Our staff members have written thematic studies on various documents from our collections.
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A Journey of a Thousand Years
The Giant Bible of Saint MaximinIt is very rare for a manuscript to return to its ʽbirth-placeʼ, as it were, nearly a millennium after its confection; and it is even rarer that its whereabouts over such a long period of time can be traced almost year by year.
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A Text Uncovered
The Giant Bible of Saint MaximinThe Giant Bible recently acquired by the National Library is an extraordinary artifact. Its monumental size alone – it weighs about 25 kilograms –, combined with amendments written over several centuries, makes it a unique piece.
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The Echternach scriptorium
The Giant Bible of Saint Maximin represents a high point in the scriptorial culture of the Echternach school, whose influence extended far beyond the cloister walls.
News
Discover the latest news of the Manuscripts Collection.
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The National Library launches a crowdfunding campaign
Help the BnL save a thousand-year-old medieval manuscript for future generations.
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BnL publishes manuscript transcribed with AI technology for the first time
While the BnL generally carries out text recognition for printed materials such as journals and books, this is far more complex for handwritten works and is therefore not common practice.
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Visit the exhibition in virtual reality!
We’ve taken a 3D scan of the space, allowing you to explore the documents and objects on display in an immersive way, without having to leave your home.
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