Exhibition: Valvasor in Istria

>> The museum ticket price includes a visit to the exhibition

In 1689, the polymath Johann Weichard Valvasor printed the work “Die Ehre deß Herzogthums Crain”, for which he had been preparing for more than ten years. He bound all his encyclopaedic knowledge about historical events, social customs, geographical features, nobles, castles, churches and cities that he collected in the area he considered Carniola, into a book of 3532 pages and furnished it with 528 copperplates and 24 appendices.

Since a printing house that could prepare both pictorial and written material did not exist in Carniola at that time, he founded a graphic workshop and copper engraving printing house in his castle, Bogenšperk, and together with a number of associates, who lived with him for years, lovingly prepared this magnificent work. The venture impoverished him so much that shortly after printing he was forced to sell off almost all of his noble property.

Today, in his honour, we celebrate 333 years since the book was printed.