The Codex Aureus kept in the Batthyáneum library in Gyulafehérvár has been added to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage list, the Romanian National Library announced on Thursday evening.

The Codex Aureus is one of the most valuable documents of the Gyulafehérvár library founded by the Transylvanian bishop Ignác Batthyány.

The medieval codex fragment written in gold ink on calfskin parchment contains one of the most valuable pieces of the Batthyáneum collection, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The codex, which was probably commissioned by Charles the Great, came to Vienna as war booty from the Lorsch monastery near Heidelberg. It was bought by Antal Kristóf Migazzi, Duke-Archbishop of Vienna, and Transylvanian Bishop Ignác Batthyány bought it from him in the 18th century, which is how it ended up in the Gyulafehérvár library.

Source: albaiuliaqr.ro

Source: albaiuliaqr.ro

As is known, the Batthyáneum in Gyulafehérvár is the most valuable nationalized property, which the Hungarian churches in Transylvania are requesting back from the Romanian state. In 1998, the government passed an emergency decree for his return, but this was not implemented.

Later governments, referring to the will of Bishop Ignác Batthyány - in which he left the collection to Transylvania - believed that the Romanian state could also form a right to it. In May 2021, the Romanian Supreme Court rejected the restitution of the property and public collection. The library, which includes 65,000 volumes and 1,650 medieval manuscripts, preserves three quarters of the codices and ancient manuscripts found in Romania. One of the codices, the Codex Aureus from 810, was insured for $25 million in 2002 when it was briefly transported to Germany.

Source and full article: kultura.hu, Kronika.ro

Featured Image: Facebook