Book Printing Press Museum and Old Romanian - Tragoviste, Muntenia

Book Printing Press Museum and Old Romanian - Tragoviste - details and images

It was located in an imposing building, the architectural monument artisans Constantin Brancoveanu raised him, the existing cellar in the early seventeenth century for his daughter, lady Safta - Constantin Cantacuzino and that has kept library, among the most valuable of Wallachia at the time.

Museum of Printing and Book is one of the first Romanian cultural institutions of this kind in the country - was opened on May 11, 1967 visit. It is divided into rooms that are both Targoviste printing operation, from the very beginning (XVI century) and other printing centers subsequently appeared in Moldavia and Transylvania (XVII, XVIII) and culminates with newspapers publishing the first regular occurrence ( nineteenth century), when the evolution of the old Romanian book is finished.

The museum presents a series of issues concerning the development of writing and printing, the Romanian territory, starting with the earliest form of writing "protoliterata" (or "iconic", "ideographic", similar to the oldest writings in the world, the Sumerian) contained in clay tablets from Tartaria, White County (IV-III centuries BC). This support, as well as clay pots, bark or parchment were used until the discovery paper, when they began to defend our country and the first paper mills, designed to solve this problem: Brasov (1563), Sibiu (1573), Campulung-Hot (1768), Batista, near Snagov, (1775) and "royal paper mill" in Ciorogarla (1796).

From the sumptuous lobby, which included those presented so far, passing in the hall of the XVIth century, incorporating the most important manuscripts and prints. The first category is remarkable "Letter from Campulung Neacşu" addressed to Hans Benkner, county of Brasov, in 1521, is the first Romanian who wrote that was kept (it is assumed that oral Romanian language has been used previously). Another exception is the manuscript "TEACHINGS Neagoe Theodosius by his son," the most significant works of ancient Roman literature in Slavonic. Next to these are present in the text display and Maramures.

To enhance the prestige of the Church as the main support of the state, Prince Radu cel Mare (1495-1508) brought into the country from the monk Makarios, formed as a craftsman printer in Venice (and books were printed in Slavonic), the five books already printed in Cetinje, between 1493-1495. In the press office headed by Makarios royal print books were: "Missal" (1508), "Octoechos" (1510) and "Gospel" (1512), all in Slavonic, used when the royal chancelleries and religious services as an official language .

In 1545, Monk Moses, who learned the craft of printing everything in Venice (1536-1538) printed in Demetrius Liubavici workshop, a "Prayer Book" which was succeeded in 1547, an "apostle" with two editions, Moldova and Wallachia, printed by itself Liubavici. In the second half of the sixteenth century, custom and Royal Prince of Moldavia, Oprea scribe and "ot Coresi Targoviste diac printed in Brasov a" Octoechos Slavonia "in 1557.

The following year, in Targoviste, Coresi together "with my 10 disciples," printed in a "Triodion Pentecostarion. During this period the foundations of the introduction of the Romanian language in print, especially after the memorable words of Deacon Coresi ... "better the mouth five words in a language understood, than ten thousand words in a foreign language" .. . The work of this great craftsman printer is continued in Brasov, Sebes and Abrud.

The next room is the seventeenth century, the Romanian language as the language of culture should be written. Created by the company's internal needs, Roman culture developed countries during this period, through contact with the major spiritual centers of Europe. Romanian Country prints were resumed during the reign of Matei Basarab, who purchased the Metropolitan of Kiev, Peter Knoll, a printing press installed initially in Campulung, then moved to Govora. Here appears, in 1640, the first Romanian book in Wallachia, "Pravila de la GOVORA. Finally typography reach - and settled down permanently - Monastery Dealu first, then Metropolitan of Targoviste cells under the direct supervision of Bishop Stephen (1648-1668).

Among the books are printed here and "Straightening Law" (1652), one of the earliest printed secular Romanian Country. Other printing centers mentioned in this room are: U.S., where they printed the furnace Barlaam (1642-1643) and later, religious and secular writings of Metropolitan Dosoftei, talented translator and poetical, Alba-Iulia "FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT Bălgrad, 1648, printed with the support of Bishop Stefan Simion and Bucharest where, in 1688, appears monumental "Bible" (called "Serban's) seeking unification of the Romanian language dialects, creating the premises for the Romanian literary language. Busts, in maple and linden wood, the Metropolitan Barlaam and Dosoftei Moldovans fill this hall exhibits.

In the hall of the eighteenth century witnessed a diversification spectacular printing operation: near Metropolitan Antim Ivireanu invatatului prints made in Targoviste (1709-1715) both religious (SF SERVICE. ECATERINA) and secular (array DOGMATIC FILOSOFESTI Proverbs and ALIXANDRIA) is manuscripts and books was the ruler scholar Dimitrie Cantemir (DESCRIPTION OF MOLDOVA, ROMAN Chronicle DURATION OF MOLDOVA-Vlach, HISTORY OF GROWTH AND decrease the Ottoman Empire) and prints made by the representatives of the Transylvanian School, Samuil Micu-Klein, Petru Maior, Gheorghe Sincai, George Lazar, Ioan Budai-Deleanu, both religious, but also addressing the wider circles of population: grammars, dictionaries, calendars of labors, his stories

A ruler who patronized the arts and cultural wisdom is Constantin Brancoveanu in which outside printing time in Bucharest, which also had a part in Greek, and other new printers were set up in Buzau and Ramnicu Valcea Snagov monastery. Brancoveanu were printed by printers not only Romanian and Slavonic books, but also Arab gruzine, Turkish and Greek.

Circuit museum is closed in the last room, the nineteenth century, which adopt the Latin alphabet, writing after a period of transition and coexistence of the two alphabets, Cyrillic and Latin, is illustrated by the writings and literature teaching literature in editions (Negruzzi Alecsandri Bolintineanu, Pelimon etc.).

Of particular interest to enjoy typographic ornamentation used in age, the waist ink pot, sealing rings, cult objects and valuable book bindings, which decorates the halls of this place of culture.

On leaving the last room in the great hall, visitors can admire a model of printing press dating from 1778, and a showcase of printed books that are exhibited in famous cultural centers of Europe: Leipzig, Vienna, Rome, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Cologne to

Development of culture and old Romanian books shows visitor editions, rare books, fine arts and is a living proof of the development culture within the three Romanian provinces.

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