# Famous Books

> Digital collection of rare books and manuscripts from the Bavarian State Library. (iPhone/iPad app by Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/famous-books/id380668385 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Bayerische Staatsbibliothek](https://appshunter.io/developer/380668388)
- Category: Books, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 30 App Store ratings · 88 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 238 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2010-07-12
- Data updated: 2026-08-13
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/famous-books/id380668385/reviews.md

## What is Famous Books?

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is one of the biggest and most important universal libraries worldwide. Its vaults accommodate some of the most precious and world-famous works of mankind’s written cultural heritage. 

The app "Famous Books. Treasures of the Bavarian State Library” presents an exquisite selection of these holdings: 52 splendid manuscripts, unique incunabula and rare, precious printed works from the Occident and the Orient

Only very rarely can the public view the physical manifestations of these treasures in exhibitions. The brilliant, complete digital copies of the exhibits - formatted for presentation on iPad and iPhone - provide a fascinating insight into the treasures held by the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. 

Users can browse through and freely zoom into the manuscripts and printed works from the first to the last page. Among the exhibits are, for example, the manuscript A of the Nibelungenlied (The Song of the Nibelungs), the eight volumes of the Ottheinrich Bible, an edition of each the Gutenberg Bible and the World Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, the Babylonian Talmud and Wolfram von Eschenbach’s epic poem Parzival.

## Key features

- Digital copies of rare books
- Zoomable high-resolution images
- Browse manuscripts and printed works
- Occidental and Oriental collections
- View cultural heritage

## Recent user reviews (10 of 88)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/famous-books/id380668385/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Klasse App - gut gemacht und leicht zu bedienen

*2020-10-20, version 2.5*

Eine tolle App mit einfacher Bedienbarkeit und Nutzerführung. Top Entwickler

### 5/5 — Ein "Best Of" der Schriftkultur

*2017-05-12, version 2.0*

Hier werden Spitzenstücke der schriftlichen Kulturen aus aller Welt in höchster digitaler Qualität geboten. Man "verliert" sich in dieser App angesichts der Schönheit und bildlichen Intensität dieser berühmten Bücher des kulturellen Erbes. Die App macht Spass UND schlauer!

### 5/5 — Fantastique

*2017-03-27, version 2.0*

Absolument fantastique ! Wonderful thing to share those treasures with us, thank you!

### 5/5 — Danke für dieses Geschenk!

*2017-03-25, version 2.0*

Diese App bietet einen Zugang zu einem reichen Schatz von einzigartigen Schätzen in beeindruckender Qualität. 
Dafür muss man von Herzen danken.

### 5/5 — Vielen Dank

*2014-04-20, version 1.7*

Bitte weitere Werke zum Betrachten hinzufügen. Vielleicht sogar als Version für den Computer mit höherer Auflösung. Das wäre wunderbar.

### 5/5 — A glimpse into history

*2014-03-31, version 1.7*

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... :)

### 1/5 — The book of junk

*2013-12-14, version 1.7*

Really bad

### 5/5 — Danke, danke

*2013-10-13, version 1.7*

Hier hat man sich richtig Gedanken gemacht. Einmalige, unbezahlbare Kunstwerke, viele, sehr gute Scans und eine durchdachte Menüführung. Und das alles umsonst! Danke für diese App. Vielleicht gibt es ja mal eine Erweiterung :-)

### 5/5 — Großartig

*2013-06-12, version 1.7*

Eine sehr schöne Initiative der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek. Zugang zu solchen Perlen des Buchdrucks und der Typographie zu Ermöglichen ist eine lobenswerte Leistung. Vielen Dank.

### 5/5 — Unschätzbare App. für alle Mediävisten

*2013-05-21, version 1.7*

Wieder eine gelungene Digitalisierung mittelalterlicher Schriften.
Es erspart dem interessierten viel Rechercheaufwand und den Schätzen der Vergangenheit bleibt das Blättern der Recherchierenden erspart.

## Frequently asked questions about Famous Books

### 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.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.9 — 2025-09-18

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

### 2.8 — 2024-03-26

- Optimizations for iOS 17
- Small bug fixes

### 2.7 — 2021-07-02

Accessibility statement added

### 2.6 — 2021-06-22

Layoutanpassungen für neue iPhones und iPads
Optimierungen für iOS 14
Kleinere Fehlerbehebungen

### 2.5 — 2019-04-16

Layout adjustments for iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR
Performance improvements
Minor Bugfixes

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All apps by Bayerische Staatsbibliothek: https://appshunter.io/developer/380668388

## Related topics

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-13.*