Arabic Manuscripts

Thanks to the purchase of the library belonging to diplomat and Orientalist Johann Albrecht Widmanstetter (1506-1557), about 200 oriental manuscripts, in Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew and Syrian among others, came to the Münchner Hofbibliothek (Munich Court Library) on the occasion of its foundation in 1558. As a result of secularisation, the Oriental collection was only expanded by a few but all the more important manuscripts such as the world-famous Babylonian Talmud. Today the library has about 5,300 volumes, for example Arabic, Turkish or Hebrew manuscripts, but also smaller groups in Armenian or Syrian language. The collection of codices arabici at the Bavarian State Library currently comprises more than 3,100 volumes. They date from the 9th to the 19th century.