In 2004, with the help of the Ministry of Information and Communications, we were able to digitalize some of the rarities of our library. The work of digitalizing pictures was carried out by Pytheas Kiadói és Grafikai Szolgáltató Kft. A list of the digitalized documents follows. More information and pictures can be found on our home page, under DIGITALIZED DOCUMENTS.
FROM OUR COLLECTION OF MANUSCRIPTS:
1.) Psalterium cum canticis (Book of psalms from the Middle Ages)
Prague (?)- Krumlov (?), Lat. Around 1440. 90 ff. 34,3x23,7 cm.
The codex is decorated by 10 figures, several painted ornaments, initials drawn by feather, margin decorations, red and blue coloured sections of text and columns. Its greatest value is in the highly artistic quality of the initials, margin decorations and illustrations that are found in it. The manuscript, the like of which is known only in Prague, the place of origin of the codex, is the subject of international research and references.
CD-edition of Psalterium (Kalocsai Főszékesegyházi Könyvár - Studiolum, 2005.) obtainable by placing an order at our library, price 4.000 HUF
Besides the complete electronic facsimile of the Psaltery, the Reader will also find here the transcription of the Latin psalms and their translation in English, Spanish, German and Hungarian.
2.) Satipatthana Sutta. (Book of Buddhist meditation, in Pali language, with Singhalese characters). 17 pieces of manuscript from the 16th Century written on palm leaves, originating from Sri-Lanka. Reason for choosing it: Its a rare manuscript not only in Hungary but also in Europe, the fabric of the document is really special and it is very fragile.
FROM OUR COLLECTION OF INCUNABULA:
3.) Konrad von Megenberg: Buch der Natur
Augsburg: Bämler, Johann, an Montag vor aller heiligen Tag [30 Oct] [14] 75.- 292 ff.:
This is the first natural history work in the German language, spreading lots of superstitious views and miraculous impossibilities about nature’s peculiarities. Reason for choosing it: in Hungary this is the only copy of it in Kalocsa, and it is the first edition published in 1475. It is a very decorative presentation, containing many illustrations of colourful engravings.
FROM OUR COLLECTION OF ANTIQUITIES:
4.) Tycho Brahe: Astronomiae instauratae mechanica. Wandesburgi, 1598. 84 pp
From this work of Tycho originally only 300 copies were made and it was not sold through booksellers, only the famous people of the time obtained copies of it. The reason for choosing it: at present only 13 copies of it are recorded in the world. An interesting aspect of the specimen held at Kalocsa is that the picture of Tycho on the inner title page is dated one year after the publishing date of the book.
More information about the documents mentioned, as well as their picture content can be found on our home page: DIGITALIZED DOCUMENTS