Archbishop's Diocesan and Cathedral Library, Diocesan library in Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany.
The Archbishop's Diocesan and Cathedral Library is a scholarly collection in Cologne that holds about 400,000 volumes and important medieval manuscripts. It focuses on Catholic theology and includes rare printed books from the 15th century.
The collection dates back to early church times and received major holdings in the 18th century from a French scholar. This addition made it one of Germany's most valuable theological collections.
The library attracts theology students and scholars who study historical texts on Catholic faith and practice in its reading rooms. The place reflects the long bond between Cologne's church and the preservation of knowledge.
The library is located in a historic building and is open to researchers on several weekdays. Visitors should ask in advance whether registration is needed, especially if they want to view rare collections.
In 2000 the library launched a digitization project that put all its medieval manuscripts online. This was a pioneering effort worldwide and made rare manuscripts accessible to a wide audience for the first time.
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