Humanist library - The Bibliothèque Humaniste
The Humanist Library of Sélestat (Bas-Rhin) brings together the collections of the town's parish library. And those of the personal library of the Alsatian humanist Beatus Rhenanus (16th century), who donated them to his native town. It is housed in the town's former corn exchange, built in 1845.
Among the treasures that visitors can admire is a 7th century liturgical manuscript. The oldest book preserved in Alsace. But also a 13th century bible, with numerous illuminations. Some of them in gold. Or a school book by Beatus Rhenanus. Written more than five centuries ago, it is a rare document. Since 2011, the humanist library in Sélestat has been listed in the Unesco Memory of the World register. This testifies to the universality and value of this collection.
Place Dr Maurice Kubler
67600
Selestat
03 88 58 07 20
contact@bibliotheque-humaniste.fr
www.bibliotheque-humaniste.fr
Visit of the Humanist library - The Bibliothèque Humaniste of Sélestat
Discover the treasures of the Renaissance in a museum in the heart of Alsace! The Humanist Library offers you a visit among unique medieval and printed manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries. In a building designed by the architect Rudy Ricciotti, your tour will be punctuated by modern and innovative devices at the service of books and art objects.
The interactive devices proposed throughout the visit allow everyone to enter the heart of the books and understand the richness of Rhenish humanism. Spend an unforgettable moment in this heritage facility ideally located at the crossroads of Alsace's tourist routes.
Horaires d'ouverture
May - September / December: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 12.30pm / 1.30pm - 6pm
24 and 31 December: closes at 4pm
February - April / October - November: Tuesday to Sunday, 1.30 pm - 5.30 pm
Last admission 30 min. before closing time.
Closed on Mondays and from 1 to 31 January, 1 May, 25 and 26 December.
Public price
Adult : €6.00Kid : €4.00
Price with the pass
Adult : FreeKid : Free
En garde !
From 26 June to 10 November 2024
Exposition temporaire
Free
Although the Sélestat Humanist Library is best known for its collections of books on philosophy, religion and history, it also possesses volumes on more unexpected subjects, such as German fencing master Joachim Meyer’s treatise Thorough Descriptions of the Art of Fencing, first published in 1570 in Strasbourg. It is this book that is the starting point for the On Guard! Exhibition.
In this Olympics year, the exhibition uses treatises, works of art and weapons from the 16th to the 21st century to guide visitors through the historical, literary and artistic backgrounds and take them into the heart of the story of European fencing and swordsmanship. The common thread in this exhibition comes from the four masterpieces of swashbuckling French literature – The Three Musketeers, The Hunchback, Captain Fracasse and Cyrano de Bergerac.
Improvements in the quality of steel in the 16th century and the increasing expertise of blacksmiths and sword cutlers, brought sword making to new heights, which in turn led to changes in sword fighting techniques. Swords at the time were expensive to buy and were considered as marks of prestige. Their use moved gradually away from the battlefield and into the social sphere and although they were not the exclusive property of nobles, they still remained an instrument of social and individual distinction, with all its sophisticated codes and conventions.
The origins of modern sword fighting date back to the 16th century in the Holy Roman Empire, Italy, Spain and France. With the invention of the printing press, fencing treatises became more widely available and, with the increasing contacts between fencing masters and pupils in the different countries, sword fighting techniques gradually came together, even if some national characteristics still stood out.
Like the knights of mediaeval times, the heroes of modern fencing and sword fighting have been a continual source of fascination for readers, authors and artists from every type of cultural background, from literature to graphic novels and video games.
Sélestat
1 place Dr Maurice Kubler
67600 Sélestat
France
0388580720
mediation@bibliotheque-humaniste.fr
Investigation game: the mysterious bones
From 30 to 31 October 2024
Halloween
Nocturne
Adult : €12.00 - Kid : €10.00
Following on from last year's success, this is a new edition. With the help of Comptoir du Crime, become an investigator and solve a terrible crime.
Immerse yourself in the 50s and question the suspects to find out who killed librarian-archivist Marcel Niederman. Don't hesitate to come dressed in 50s fashion.
Sélestat
1 place Dr Maurice Kubler
67600 Sélestat
France
0388580720
mediation@bibliotheque-humaniste.fr
Accessibility
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The entire Humanist Library is accessible to people with reduced mobility. The site is equipped with a lift.
Access conditions
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From the north: from Strasbourg, motorway A35 towards Colmar for 50 km. Exit n°16 Sélestat centre - ZI Nord
From the south: from Mulhouse, A35 motorway to Colmar, then RN 83 for 22 km. Exit n°18 - Sélestat Centre
From the west: from Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines by RN 59, 22 km
From the east: from Marckolsheim/le Rhin by D 424, 14 km
The Humanist Library is located in the centre of Sélestat, close to the St-Georges church.
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There is a regular rail link to Sélestat (Strasbourg-Sélestat-Colmar-Mulhouse line). Sélestat station is served by the TGV Est, with one return trip per day. From the station, it is a 10-minute walk to the city centre to reach the museum.