Erzbischöfliche Diözesan- und Dombibliothek Köln
Among surviving cathedral libraries, considered the most significant — the Archdiocese of Cologne's central library, with roots in the 6th/7th century.
The Archiepiscopal Diocesan and Cathedral Library Cologne, home to the Library of St. Albertus Magnus, is the central library of the Archdiocese of Cologne. Its origins reach back to the 6th and 7th centuries, making it one of the oldest and largest theological specialist libraries in the German-speaking world.
At a Glance
- Type
- Theological specialist library of the Archdiocese of Cologne
- Location
- Altstadt-Nord, Innenstadt district
- Origins
- 6th/7th century; oldest catalogue dates from 833
- Holdings
- around 400,000 volumes, 800 manuscripts, 430 incunabula, 1,500 current journals
- Focus areas
- Catholic theology, religious education, philosophy, Rhenish church history, art history
- Digitisation
- world's first library to digitally catalogue its medieval manuscripts
In 2000, the Diocesan and Cathedral Library Cologne became the world's first library to fully digitize all of its medieval manuscripts, a milestone achieved through the German Research Foundation-funded Codices Electronici Ecclesiae Coloniensis (CEEC) project.
Things to do here
- Wander through one of the most important cathedral libraries
- Browse and dig into the specialist theological collection
- Use the quiet reading room to read and study
- Discover medieval manuscripts online via the CEEC project
- Dive into more than 1,000 years of library history
History of the Cathedral Library
The Cathedral Library traces back to the manuscript collection of Archbishop Hildebald (d. 818) and is considered the most significant among surviving cathedral libraries. The oldest catalogue, from 833, lists 175 books — 35 of which still exist today, with the oldest volume dating from 590/604. In the Middle Ages the cathedral chapter became its sole trustee, and many canons donated manuscripts; in the 11th century the capitular Hillinus gave the Hillinus Gospel Book, which bears an image of the old cathedral. In 1794, 200 of the most precious manuscripts were rescued from the French Revolutionary army and taken to Arnsberg together with the Shrine of the Three Kings; the Prussian state did not return the library to the cathedral chapter until 1867.
The Diocesan Library
A second strand is the Diocesan Library, refounded in 1738 on the book collection of patron Johann Jakob von Broich — itself drawn from the estate of Jean-Paul Bignon, librarian to Louis XIV. Its holdings include art-historically significant choir books such as the Valkenburg Graduale. The collection grew through donations, bequests, and dissolved parish libraries, and in 1835 was joined by the 14,000-volume collection of Cologne Archbishop August Ferdinand Graf Spiegel, now housed in the Maternushaus.
Unification and Present Location
Since 1930 the Diocesan and Cathedral Libraries have been organisationally united, with the Cathedral Library integrated as a permanent loan from the cathedral chapter. The Baroque library building on Marzellenstraße was completely destroyed near the end of the Second World War, though the holdings had been evacuated in time. In 1957 the collections were reunited in a new building on Gereonstraße; in 1983 the library moved to its current home in the Maternushaus.
Digital Manuscripts
In 2000 the library launched the Codices Electronici Ecclesiae Coloniensis (CEEC) project in partnership with the University of Cologne, digitising its medieval codices and becoming the world's first library to open up its medieval manuscripts in this way. Every two years it also hosts an interdisciplinary symposium dedicated to the study of its medieval holdings.
Timeline
- 590/604Oldest surviving book of the Cathedral Library created
- 833First catalogue of the Cathedral Library lists 175 books
- 1615Old Cologne Seminary founded (origin of the Diocesan Library)
- 1738Diocesan Library re-established after seminary closure
- 1794200 manuscripts rescued from French Revolutionary Army, taken to Arnsberg
- 1867Cathedral chapter recovers library from the Prussian state
- 1930Diocesan Library and Cathedral Library organizationally merged
- 2000CEEC project: digitisation of medieval manuscripts begins
Map
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Address
Kardinal-Frings-Straße 1-3
50668 Köln
Hours
Mo: 09:00–17:00
Di: 09:00–17:00
Mi: 09:00–17:00
Do: 09:00–17:00
Fr: 09:00–17:00
Contact
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@dombibliothek.koeln)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-07-17)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-26)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-26)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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