Plantin-Moretus Museum
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Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex* | |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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State Party | Belgium |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, iii, iv, vi |
Reference | 1185 |
Region† | Europe and North America |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 2005 (29th Session) |
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a museum in Antwerp, Belgium honouring the famous printers Christoffel Plantijn and Jan Moretus. It is located in their former residence and printing establishment, Plantin Press, at the Friday Market.
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[edit] History
The printing company was founded in the 16th century by Christoffel Plantijn. After his death it was owned by his son-in-law Jan Moretus.
In 1876 Edward Moretus sold the company to the city of Antwerp. One year later the public could visit the living areas and the printing presses. In 2002 the museum was nominated as UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2005 it was finally put on this list. It is the first, and as yet only, museum on the list.
The Plantin-Moretus Museum possesses an exceptional collection of typographical material. Not only does it house the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world and complete sets of dies and matrices, it it also has an extensive library, a richly decorated interior and the entire archives of the Plantin business.
[edit] Collection
- a Bible in five languages: Biblia Polyglotta (1568-1573)
- Thesaurus Teutoniae Linguae
- a geographical book: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum made by Abraham Ortelius
- a book describing herbs: Cruydeboeck made by Rembert Dodoens
- an anatomical book made by Andreas Vesalius and Joannes Valverde
- a book about decimal numbers from Simon Stevin
- a 36 line Gutenberg Bible
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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