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  • Released
  • Updated
  • July 12, 2010
  • September 18, 2025
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About

Explore a curated collection of 52 rare and world-famous manuscripts, incunabula, and printed works from the Bavarian State Library. View high-quality digital copies, zoom in on details, and discover cultural heritage from the Occident and Orient.

Digital copies of rare books
Zoomable high-resolution images
Browse manuscripts and printed works
Occidental and Oriental collections
View cultural heritage
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What's New in Famous Books

2.9

September 18, 2025

- Imprint and Privacy Policy updates - various small bugfixes - performance improvements

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User reviews

A glimpse into history

This app provides access to beautiful manuscripts I wouldn't ever get to see otherwise, and in a very user-friendly interface, and I love how you can zoom in so close. I just wish there were more apps like this one! Now if only I could actually read any of these languages... :)

The book of junk

Really bad

Awesome app

Love browsing through this app it gives me inspiration every day! Sometimes I find that it takes a while to load images but other than that, great app!

Incredible!!

If ever an app deserved its 5 stars, it's this one. While other similar apps charge much more for a few selected images of highlights in their collection, this app opens a generous portion of their collection to your own self-guided, hi-resolution tour. And what really sets this app apart is that you don't get to see just a couple of selected pages, you have access to the entire book, just as if you were actually in the library, looking at the artifact in person. Actually, you have better access to these treasures with this app than you would in person. Want to see and read an original Gutenberg Bible? Here it is, every chapter and verse of the original. This app offers a glimpse at the kind of visionary research tool the internet could-and should-be. Absolutely outstanding app.
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Amazing!

This app is fantastic :) The images are lovely and the text is beautiful! I recommend this app for anyone who loves old texts and beautiful images!

Developer apps

FAQ

What is this app about?

This app provides digital access to a selection of 52 rare and world-famous manuscripts, incunabula, and printed works from the Bavarian State Library. It allows users to explore these cultural treasures through high-quality digital copies.

What are the key features of this app?

Key features include the ability to browse and freely zoom into digital copies of manuscripts and printed works from the first to the last page. Users can view precious items from both the Occident and the Orient, offering a fascinating insight into the library's holdings.

Is this app free to use?

Yes, the app is free to use. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned, indicating it is a free resource for accessing these historical documents.

What kind of content can I find in this app?

You can find digital copies of significant historical works such as the manuscript A of the Nibelungenlied, the Ottheinrich Bible, editions of the Gutenberg Bible and the World Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, the Babylonian Talmud, and Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival.

Who is this app intended for?

This app is designed for anyone interested in exploring rare books, historical manuscripts, and the written cultural heritage of mankind. It's particularly suited for students, researchers, and enthusiasts of history, literature, and art.