Review: The Abbey Library of Saint Gall. The history, the Baroque hall and the collections of the Abbey Library.

The Abbey Library of Saint Gall. The history, the Baroque hall and the collections of the Abbey Library. by Ernst Tremp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm literally reading this in order to plan future trips to the Abbey. I've been there twice, but always felt like I was missing quite a bit (although I love wearing those slippers) of this important abbey in Swiss and European history. 

It's too bad that much of what is discussed here isn't open to the public.

Having said that, here are some of my notes for future travels:

Monastery plan (ms. 1091) is the oldest medieval building plan in Europe that is still intact

St. Wiborada is the patron saint of libraries (she removed the books to an island on Lake Costance to save them from the Hungarians)

www.cesg.unifr.ch has digital recordings of selected codices. 

Behind the door on the South side of the hall there is a hidden staircase leading to the gallery and the Manuscript room

The two cocks (near bookcases KK and TT) may be the trademark of the Gigl brothers (Güggel means cock in Swiss german). 

The oldest extant translation of the Gospels by St. Jerome (410/420 AD) exists in fragments

Tuotilo is the first known artist in what is now Switzerland. He designed some book covers for Charlemagne (in this collection)

The satirical verse of St. Gall was written "to test the quill"

The oldest wholly preserved music manuscript in the world: The St. Gall "Cantatorium", produced at the Abbey ca 920/930. 

The world's last surviving example of the Oracula Sibyllina, printed between 1461 and 1465. 

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Review: Sankt Gallen und Italien / San gallo e L'Italia

Sankt Gallen und Italien / San gallo e L'Italia by Gian Carlo Alessio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"Una volta entrato nel bagno il (supposto) paralitico avverte che l'acqua è troppo calda: sicché si rivolge al domestico nella sua lingua dicendogli che "Cald est, cald est"; ma il primo, di lingua tedesca, traduce in "Kalt est", cioè in "è fredda" ed aggiunge ripetutamente acqua bollente sinché il paralitico non schizza fuori dal bagno..."
Una storiella scritta attorno al 1200 da Ekkeardo I.

Una collezione di testi, 3 in italiano e 3 in tedesco (ognuno con riassunto nell'altra lingua). Un po' monotona, ma anche informativa. Il libro l'ho comprato nella biblioteca abbaziale di San Gallo.

A collection of essays, 3 in Italian and 3 in German (each one with a summary in the other language at the end). A bit monotonous but also informative from time to time.

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