Batthyaneum Library in Alba Iulia
The Batthyaneum Library in Alba Iulia was founded in 1798 by Bishop Ignatius de Batthyán. It operates in the former church of the Trinitarian order, an eighteenth-century Baroque building adapted to house the library and an astronomical observatory. The Aula Magna hall preserves the historic furniture, the gallery and the shelves decorated with symbols of the arts and sciences.
The library’s holdings include medieval manuscripts, old books, archives and museum collections. Among its treasures is the fragment of the Codex Aureus containing the Gospels of Matthew and Mark; the original manuscript is not permanently displayed to the public. The interior can only be visited in organized groups, with the written approval of the National Library of Romania. Visits must be booked in advance, following the instructions published by the institution. The exterior can be seen during a walk through the citadel.
Photo: Tiberiu Neag. Photo source. License CC BY-SA 3.0 ro. Proportional resizing and framing on neutral background to 650 × 400 px. Adapted photo retains same license.
