Johannes a Lasco Library, Research library and museum in Emden, Germany
The Johannes a Lasco Library is a research library and museum in Emden housing around 130,000 book titles, including rare manuscripts and documents focused on Reformed Protestantism and early modern confessional history. The collection centers on the 16th to 18th centuries, emphasizing religious and intellectual developments of that period.
The library was established in 1995 and occupies the restored ruins of the Great Church of Emden, which dates to the ninth century. The reconstruction at this historical site links the preservation of knowledge with the reuse of a damaged building.
The library houses significant collections on East Frisian history and serves as a venue where lectures, conferences, and concerts regularly bring the local community together.
The building offers wheelchair access and provides digital resources, with many historical texts available through the online portal Reformed Online. Plan ahead and explore both the physical spaces and online collections to make the most of your visit.
The collection includes 155 manuscripts and over 6,000 texts from the 16th to 18th centuries, including works by Erasmus of Rotterdam. These rare documents offer direct insight into the thinking and debates of a transformative period in European intellectual history.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
