Collections
Would you like to learn more about the diverse content offered by bavarikon? Our collections provide information on a wide range of topics and simplify the discovery of digitised material. They recount the cultural heritage of Bavaria, literature, art and technology, but also important people and events. Start a journey through time and space and immerse yourself in bygone worlds, such as those of the Celts or the Romans. Some of the collections even open doors that are otherwise tightly sealed: they present cultural treasures that almost never leave their vaults due to their high value or fragility. New collections go online on a regular basis.
Archaeological Findings from the Archäologische Staatssammlung München
Major archaeological discoveries from the Stone Age through the Roman period to modern times are presented in high-resolution photographs and as spectacular 3D objects.
To the collection
"Wir Ludwig von Gottes Gnaden". A Comparison of the German-language charters of Ludwig the Bavarian
The German language experienced its breakthrough under Emperor Ludwig IV, "the Bavarian": more than half of the documents were written in German. Using selected examples of documents, this collection pays tribute to the development from Latin into German.
To the collection
Inheriting Culture. Bavaria's intangible cultural heritage list
The forms of cultural expression recorded in Bavaria’s intangible cultural heritage list are characteristic of the diversity of cultural heritage in Bavaria. The focus is on the complexity and diversity of Bavarian culture. This collection is part of the "Culture heirs. Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bavaria" virtual exhibition.
To the collection
The Margravial Collections of the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Hand drawings, prints as well as city plans, vedute and architectural illustrations are at the heart of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth's collection. It includes all the great artists from the 14th to the early 18th century and is thus significant for the Franconia’s art history.
To the collection
The Picture Archive of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The picture archive presents photographs from estates, photo archives and libraries focusing on Bavaria, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and other topics such as music, the Orient, Asia and Eastern Europe. Initially founded in 1985 as a portrait collection, the picture archive is one of the largest picture collections in public institutions.
To the collectionUrbaria from the holdings of the Bayerische Hauptstaatsarchiv
Urbaria are among the oldest types of official books developed in the medieval administrations of ecclesiastical and secular rulers. They contain legal titles for the acquisitions of farms, land and dependent people as well as records about the usable property and the regular income from it. This collection shows the urbaria from the Bishopric of Freising and the Duchy of Bavaria.
The Falkensteinensis Codex, 1166-approx. 1196
The Falkensteinensis Codex assumes a very special position among tradition books, as it contains the only tradition book of a noble family and is at the same time the oldest income register of a secular manor.
Musical Treasures of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Autographs of great composers such as Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven, handwritten choir books from the Renaissance period, tablature books such as the Buxheim Organ Book as well as printed music from the early days of music printing – this collection provides an insight into the holdings of one of the leading international music libraries.
Treasures in the Staatliche Bibliothek Passau
A first print of Copernicus’ main work "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium", the Formbach Bible and the Formbach Missal from the 15th century – the selection of magnificent items from the Staatliche Bibliothek Passau holdings reflects the history and profile of this institution.
Premises of the Perpetual Diet in the Old Ratisbon Town Hall
Regensburg was designated the sole meeting place for the Perpetual Diet and the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in 1594. The collection of prints, books and photos on display here from the Historisches Museum’s (Historical Museum) collection provides an insight into the history of the Perpetual Diet and the building.
digiPress – The Newspaper Portal of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
digiPress is the central virtual reading room for the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek’s (Bavarian State Library) historical, digitised newspapers. The newspapers can be searched in full text and sorted by place of distribution. A calendar overview lets you start by entering dates to display cross-title results.
Rariora, reserve and parchment prints at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Rare and precious prints have been kept in a separate subject as "rariora" since the 19th century. They include magnificent pieces such as the Luther Bible or Maximilian I’s prayer book. The rariora were replaced by the "Rare prints reserve" subject in 1990.
Treasures from the Stadtmuseum Ingolstadt
The collection shows objects relating to Ingolstadt’s history from its beginnings to the present day. Important focal points are the finds from the Celtic town near Manching, Romanesque and Gothic stone sculpture, medieval urban development, the coin cabinet or craftsmanship and industry.
The Literaturportal Bayern
The Literaturportal Bayern (Bavarian Literature Portal) provides a comprehensive overview of the literary state of Bavaria, authors and literary events and offers information on literary institutions, prizes, bequests, a calendar of events and much more.
The Library of the Princes of Oettingen-Wallerstein
The collection presents a selection of digitised manuscripts from the important library of the Princes of Oettingen-Wallerstein, which was acquired by the Free State of Bavaria in 1980 and whose holdings are now kept in the Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg (University Library Augsburg).
Paintings Collection of the Historischer Verein von Oberbayern
The collection includes works from the extensive estate of Johann Georg von Dillis (1759-1841), the Bavarian town views by Carl August Lebschée (1800-1877) as well as a large number of drawings, prints and photographs on topographical themes, events and people.
Collection Cimelia-Autographs
The collection shows letters and writings by famous writers and literary figures such as Melanchthon, von Hofmannsthal, Lessing, Kleist, Voltaire, Tolstoy or Goethe and other valuable individual items written by important personalities from history, art or science.
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the International Connections of the Ruling House of the Duchy of Coburg
Prince Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of England, is the most prominent representative of the Coburg ducal house, which has been able to successfully pursue an international marriage policy for generations since the end of the 18th century. There are family relationships with the courts in Belgium, England and Sweden that still rule today.
Works of art from Bavarian castles
In addition to famous monuments, the Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (Bavarian Department of State-owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes) also looks after well over 100,000 priceless works of art such as furniture, paintings, sculptures, objects of courtly dining culture as well as glass, porcelain or ceramic works. A selection of these is presented in bavarikon.
The art collection belonging to the Tucher von Simmelsdorf family
Artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Veit Stoß and Wenzel Jamnitzer created major works of art on commission by the important Tucher patrician family from Nuremberg. The collection presents a selection, including the “Großes Tucherbuch” commissioned in 1590, pieces from the portrait collection as well as arts and crafts such as the famous Limoges service.
The Tucher von Simmelsdorf family archive
The Stadtarchiv Nürnberg (City Archive Nuremberg) holds the extensive Tucher family archive on loan from the Tucher’sche Kulturstiftung. A large selection of historically significant portrait photographs of the patrician family from Nuremberg as well as valuable manuscripts such as "Das Große Tucherbuch" are presented in bavarikon.
Protestant Reverse Glass Paintings
The extraordinary collection from the Stadtmuseum Kaufbeuren (Kaufbeuren Municipal Museum) shows almost 80 reverse glass paintings, which were created between 1740 and 1790 in the former imperial city and feature Protestant iconography.
Latin manuscripts at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) - Clm
The "Codex aureus von St. Emmeram" and the "Evangeliar Kaiser Otto III" are the most famous Latin codices from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek’s (Bavarian State Library) most extensive and probably also most important collection of Western manuscripts.
Personal papers and estates held by the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The collection shows the digitised estates of important personalities in Bavaria and Munich’s political and cultural history, such as Paul Heyse, Heinz Piontek or Therese von Bayern. The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) houses one of the largest collections of estates in the German-speaking world.
Hortus Eystettensis
One of the most famous plant books ever is the richly illustrated "Hortus Eystettensis" by the Nuremberg apothecary and botanist Basilius Besler from 1613. The magnificent volumes are presented here as high-resolution digital copies.
Treasures from the Collections of the Deutsches Medizinhistorisches Museum
3D objects from the Deutsches Medizinhistorisches Museum (German Museum of Medical History) in Ingolstadt are presented, including exciting medical products such as a phlebotomy lancet, an Etruscan terracotta torso with depicted internal organs or the extremely pictorial representation of a toothworm, which was still considered to be the cause of tooth cavities until the 18th century.
Prince-Bishop Julius Echters buildings in the diocese of Würzburg
The Würzburg Prince-Bishop Julius Echter (1545-1617) was already praised by his contemporaries for his extensive building activity. The collection here presents the buildings erected during his reign in the diocese of Würzburg, such as churches, chapels, parsonages, official buildings, schools, hospitals and city fortifications.
Manuscripts from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Age from the Augustinerbibliothek Münnerstadt
The Augustinerbibliothek Münnerstadt’s (Münnerstadt Augustinian Library) manuscript and autograph collection mainly comprises works from the early modern period as well as the 19th and 20th century, alongside parchment fragments and manuscripts from the Middle Ages. It provides valuable source material on the history of the church and orders, Franconian regional history, university history and theatre history. In addition, there are musical works from the 15th to the 20th century.
St. Emmeram centre of science in Regensburg
The city of Regensburg and its Benedictine monastery of St. Emmeram have always been considered a haven for the sciences. As a result, this collection contains works from the Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg (Regensburg State Library) as well as manuscripts on St. Emmeram. Records and chronicles, copies of documents, directories and correspondence by Prince-Abbot Frobenius Forster, archivist Roman Zirngibl and antiquities researcher Bernhard Stark, among others, are presented.
Treasures in the Provinzialibliothek Amberg
The Provinzialbibliothek Amberg (Provincial Library in Amberg) presents medieval and modern manuscripts that deal with the region’s territorial, denominational and intellectual history. These unique manuscripts are of great importance especially in an area such as the Upper Palatinate, which moved so turbulently between reformation and revolution in terms of denomination.
Bayerische Landesbauernkammer 1920-1933
As the self-governing body of Bavarian agriculture, the Bayerische Landesbauernkammer (Bavarian Chamber of Agriculture) dealt with agricultural policy issues during the years of the Weimar Republic. Due to the Landesbauernkammer’s self-image as a “farmer’s parliament”, its privately owned stenographic reports copy the external appearance of the Bavarian Landtag’s reports on negotiations. They are the only known complete copy.
Coins, medals and coin-like objects from Bavaria, Franconia, Swabia and the Palatinate in modern times
This collection is one of the most important focal points of the Staatliche Münzsammlung (State Coin Collection) in Munich. The diversity of the pieces, from everyday money to stamps and money substitutes as well as outstanding works of medal art, reflects the eventful history of Bavaria’s society, mentalities, everyday life and economy from the end of the Middle Ages to the 21st century.
The Imperial Robes of Bamberg
The Bamberg imperial vestments are the oldest textiles preserved from European rulers and commemorate Emperor Heinrich II and his wife Kunigunde. Over the course of their thousands of years of history, these have been subject to considerable change, which is traced in this collection.
Manuscripts of Traditional and Popular Dance and Light Music from Franconia
The instrumental folk music of many regions in Franconia became tangible with the advent of dance music scores in the mid-19th century. The collection mainly focuses on them. The musical standard as well as instrumentation fashions and regional preferences are reflected by selected musical examples.
Carmina Burana
The Carmina Burana (Clm 4660) found in Benediktbeuern Monastery is an outstanding testimony to Middle High German lyric poetry of the early 13th century. It is one of the most famous and valuable manuscripts in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library). It became famous through Carl Orff’s (1895-1982) setting to music.
Kunstdenkmäler von Bayern – Bavarian Monuments of Art
The series "Kunstdenkmäler von Bayern" (Art Monuments of Bavaria) represents the first inventory of monuments to cover Bavaria in its entirety. They were published in 147 volumes between 1895 and 1975 and are accompanied by numerous photographs and plans.
Bayerisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt – Bavarian Law and Ordinance Gazette (1945-1949)
All laws and the most important ordinances enacted by the Bavarian Landtag and the Bavarian government between 1945-1949 are published in the Bayerisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt.
Territorial Estates of the Late Middle Ages and of the Early Modern Period
The digitised minutes of the negotiations on the Bavarian estates in the late Middle Ages and early modern period constitute a comprehensive source material that provides numerous clues to the history of Bavaria’s political and social elite as well as to the history of individual places in the state.
French prisoners of war in Regensburg during the First World War
The prisoner-of-war camp in Regensburg was one of twelve camps in Bavaria. The "Le pour et le contre" camp newspaper produced by the prisoners themselves and a collection of theatre programmes and Christmas cards from the years 1914 to 1917 offer insights into the everyday life of French prisoners of war during the First World War in Germany.
City views of Eichstätt
The city views are part of the Universitätsbibliothek Eichstätt-Ingolstadt’s (University Library Eichstätt-Ingolstadt) graphic art collection. This collection comprises around 100,000 sheets. The depictions date from a period of more than 400 years. At the beginning there are woodcuts from Hartmann Schedel’s famous "world chronicle" (1493). The most recent view was produced around 1915.
Aventinus, Johannes: Works
The "father of Bavarian historiography" Johannes Turmair (1477-1534), known as Aventinus, wrote many other important works in addition to the "Bavarian Chronicle", which left a lasting mark on the image of Bavarian history.
Regensburger Reichsstädtische Bibliothek (The Imperial City of Regensburg Library)
The Regensburg Council Library, first mentioned in the mid-14th century, is one of the earliest confirmed libraries of this type in Germany. In 1783, the Council Library was merged with the book collections from the Poeticum grammar school (since 1551) and the Protestant clergy to form the Imperial City of Regensburg Library.
French manuscripts at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) - Cod.gall.
The best-known French-language manuscripts in this collection include the "Munich Boccaccio" (Cod.gall. 6) and the "Psalter of Queen Isabella of England" (Cod.gall. 16). They are richly decorated with illuminations.
Manuscripts in other European languages at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) has set up separate manuscript subjects for other European languages, which are presented here in one collection. Among the outstanding pieces is a late medieval gospel (Cod.hung. 1) in Hungarian.
Hebrew manuscripts at the Bavarian State Library - Cod.hebr.
The collection of codices hebraici in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) is one of the largest and most important in the German-speaking area. The most important piece in the collection is the world-famous Baylonian Talmud (Cod.hebr. 95).
Manuscript library catalogues at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek - Cbm Cat.
The signature group of the Codices bavarici monacenses catalogi (Cbm Cat.) contains historical library catalogues from the Court and later State Library as well as numerous monastic and imperial city collections which were integrated into the Munich collection at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Incunabula from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek collection
The Gutenberg Bible or Hartmann Schedel’s illustrated handwritten copy of his famous World Chronicle are important incunabula produced with movable type in the early days of printing (from 1450).
Liturgical works from the holding of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Die Sammlung zeigt eine Auswahl an für den Gottesdienst bestimmter Handschriften, darunter zahlreiche kostbare und illuminierte Manuskripte aus dem Mittelalter wie Perikopenbücher, Lektionare, Sakramentare und Psalterien.
Ascetic works from the holding of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
This collection presents manuscripts and prints dealing with asceticism, the doctrine of striving for Christian perfection, such as the Alsatian Legenda aurea from 1362, a magnificent collection of saints' legends.
Fencing books and war tracts from the holding of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The magnificently designed fencing books were mainly written in the 15th and 16th centuries and show the use of various weapons and fighting techniques in the late Middle Ages. They convey principles and tactics, describe positions and stances, defensive techniques, blows and complex sequences of techniques.
Courtly Life - works from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The collection presents works on courtly culture. These include the epics by Wolfram von Eschenbach and Hartmann von Aue, tournament books, fencing books, aristocratic genealogies and magnificently decorated armorials. "Courtly" refers to the way of life cultivated at a princely court and, in a narrower sense, refers to the social culture of chivalry from the high Middle Ages onwards.
Botany - works from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The focus of this selection of botanical works is on plant books whose illustrations serve to identify plants and describe their healing properties.
Geography - works from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
The manuscripts and prints presented here include descriptions of the earth, world maps, historical travelogues, city descriptions and views. They include such important works as Schedel’s World Chronicle or the town views by Bavaria’s first known cartographer Philipp Apian.
Grammar, dialectics, rhetoric - works from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Grammar, rhetoric and dialectics formed part of the so-called Seven Liberal Arts (Septem artes liberales) in (late) antiquity and the Middle Ages. bavarikon presents some historical manuscripts and prints of the classical trivium here.
Scientific textbooks from the holding of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Textbooks are non-fiction books that offer didactically prepared teaching materials for (self-)study or teaching purposes. bavarikon presents examples from various disciplines and subject areas such as medicine, geometry, fireworks, metallurgy or divination.
