Few books in history inspire as much fascination as the Codex Gigas, the legendary medieval manuscript known as the Devil’s Bible. Created in the early 13th century in a Benedictine monastery in Bohemia, the Codex Gigas is the largest surviving medieval manuscript and one of the most mysterious books ever produced.

Combining sacred scripture, historical chronicles, medical knowledge, and encyclopedic texts in a single monumental volume, the Codex Gigas represents an extraordinary attempt to gather the knowledge of an entire era within one book.

Yet its fame is not due only to its size or scholarly content. For centuries, the manuscript has been surrounded by a haunting legend: the story of a monk who allegedly made a pact with the devil to complete the book in a single night.

This combination of history, myth, and monumental craftsmanship has made the Codex Gigas one of the most intriguing artifacts in the history of medieval manuscripts.

Like other enigmatic manuscripts—such as the Voynich Manuscript, still undeciphered to this day—the Codex Gigas reminds us how much of the medieval world remains hidden from modern understanding.

What Is the Codex Gigas?

Created in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia, in what is today the Czech Republic, the manuscript dates from the early 13th century, approximately between 1200 and 1230. ()

What makes the Codex Gigas particularly extraordinary is its ambitious content. Rather than being simply a Bible, the manuscript functions as a kind of medieval “library in a single book.”

Among its contents are:

• The complete Latin Bible

• Historical chronicles of Bohemia

• Medical texts and treatments

• Monastic rules and liturgical calendars

• Exorcism formulas and prayers

• Encyclopedic knowledge of the medieval world

Such a compilation reflects the medieval monastic ideal of preserving knowledge in service of faith, learning, and community life.

But even among the grand illuminated manuscripts of the Romanesque period, the Codex Gigas stands apart for its immense scale and unique composition.

The Legend of the Monk Who Sold His Soul

The Codex Gigas owes much of its fame to a medieval legend that has been repeated for centuries.

According to tradition, a monk in the monastery of Podlažice broke his monastic vows and was condemned to a terrible punishment: he was to be walled alive within the monastery.

Desperate to escape this fate, the monk promised his superiors that he would create, in a single night, a book that would glorify the monastery forever—a manuscript containing the entire Bible and the total knowledge of the world.

At first the monks accepted the challenge.

But as midnight approached, the monk realized that such a task was impossible for a human being.

In desperation, the legend says he invoked Lucifer, offering his soul in exchange for help completing the manuscript.

The devil accepted.

By dawn, the enormous book was supposedly finished.

To commemorate the pact, the monk is said to have painted a full-page portrait of the devil inside the manuscript—an image that remains one of the most striking and unsettling illustrations in medieval art.

Today, historians reject the supernatural explanation. Handwriting analysis strongly suggests the manuscript was written by a single scribe over many years, possibly even decades, rather than in a single night. ()

Nevertheless, the legend of the monk’s pact with the devil has become inseparable from the Codex Gigas, giving rise to its famous nickname: The Devil’s Bible.

The Devil’s Portrait

One of the most famous features of the Codex Gigas is the full-page illustration of Satan, which occupies an entire leaf within the manuscript.

The figure appears crouched, with clawed hands, horns, and a strange expression—an image unlike almost any other depiction of the devil in medieval manuscripts.

Interestingly, the page facing the devil contains a depiction of the Heavenly City, creating a powerful symbolic contrast between good and evil.

This dramatic juxtaposition may have been intended to remind readers of the spiritual struggle between salvation and damnation.

It is this image above all that has fueled the centuries-long fascination with the Codex Gigas.

The Extraordinary Journey of the Codex Gigas

The story of the Codex Gigas is not only about its mysterious origin. The manuscript also experienced a remarkable journey across Europe.

Medieval Monasteries

After its creation in Podlažice, the manuscript was eventually pawned to the Cistercian monastery of Sedlec, likely due to financial difficulties within the Benedictine community. ()

Later, it was recovered by the Benedictine monastery of Břevnov, and by 1477 it was documented in the library of the monastery of Broumov.

During this period, the manuscript gradually became recognized as a precious bibliographic treasure rather than merely a working monastic text.

The Imperial Court of Rudolf II

In 1594, the Codex Gigas was transferred to Prague, where it entered the famous collection of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II.

Rudolf II was renowned for gathering rare books, scientific instruments, artworks, and objects connected to mystery and occult knowledge.

The Devil’s Bible—because of its immense size, unusual contents, and famous devil illustration—was perfectly suited to the emperor’s extraordinary collection.

War Booty and Sweden

The next major chapter in the manuscript’s story occurred in 1648, at the end of the Thirty Years’ War.

Swedish troops captured Prague and seized numerous cultural treasures from the imperial collections. Among them was the Codex Gigas, which was transported to Stockholm as war booty. ()

Since 1649, the manuscript has been preserved in Sweden.

The Fire of 1697

In 1697, a catastrophic fire destroyed much of the Swedish royal castle Tre Kronor, where important parts of the royal library were kept.

According to historical accounts, the Codex Gigas survived the disaster because it was thrown from a window to save it from the flames. ()

This dramatic episode only strengthened the manuscript’s reputation as an almost mythical object—an enormous book associated with the devil that miraculously survived destruction.

The Codex Gigas Today

Today, the Codex Gigas is preserved in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm, where it is kept under strict conservation conditions. ()

In the modern era, the manuscript has become not only a historical treasure but also a symbol of European cultural heritage.

Through digitization and scholarly study, researchers and historians continue to explore the manuscript’s origins, contents, and artistic techniques.

Yet despite centuries of research, many aspects of the Codex Gigas remain mysterious:

• Who exactly created it?

• Why was such an enormous manuscript produced in a relatively small monastery?

• What purpose did its creators ultimately envision?

These unanswered questions continue to fuel the enduring fascination surrounding the Devil’s Bible.

The Codex Gigas at Galobart: Four Editions, One Extraordinary Manuscript

The Codex Gigas has become one of the defining manuscripts in the history of Galobart.

Over the years, we have approached this extraordinary medieval book at different scales, creating four distinct editions — from our original Standard Edition and the monumental XXL Collector’s Edition, both now sold out, to two new interpretations introduced in 2026: the full-size Giant Edition and the compact Codex Gigas Petit.

Each edition offers a different way to experience the same extraordinary manuscript.

Codex Gigas — The Giant Edition

Full-Size 1:1 Facsimile · Limited to 6 Copies

 

The Codex Gigas — The Giant Edition is our most ambitious recreation of the manuscript to date.

Created at the extraordinary 1:1 scale of the medieval original, the edition measures 35 × 19.3 in. (89 × 49 cm) and weighs approximately 165 lb (75 kg).

Its 624 pages recreate the imposing physical presence of the Codex Gigas at its original monumental dimensions.

The binding, in caramel-toned leather, is inspired by the historic manuscript preserved in Stockholm and features metal ornaments faithful to the character of the original. Each copy is presented in a red lacquered wooden chest with gold Codex Gigas lettering.

Only six numbered copies of The Giant Edition will be produced.

Codex Gigas XXL — Collector’s Edition

66 Numbered Copies · Sold Out

 

Before The Giant Edition came the Codex Gigas XXL — Collector’s Edition, our first attempt to bring the extraordinary physical presence of the manuscript to a truly monumental format.

Strictly limited to 66 numbered copies worldwide, the edition reproduced the complete 624-page manuscript in an imposing 27 × 50 cm (10.6 × 19.7 in.) format.

Each volume was bound in leather and embellished with five metal ornaments inspired by the medieval original. The edition was accompanied by a leather-bound study volume and presented in an individually numbered handcrafted wooden chest.

The entire edition of 66 copies is now sold out.

Codex Gigas — Standard Edition

Limited Numbered Edition · Sold Out

 

The Codex Gigas — Standard Edition marked the beginning of Galobart’s exploration of one of the most extraordinary manuscripts ever created.

Conceived as a more accessible way for collectors to discover the complete Codex Gigas, this limited numbered edition brought the legendary Devil’s Bible into private libraries around the world.

The Standard Edition is now completely sold out.

Its success would ultimately lead us to explore the manuscript at very different scales — first with the monumental XXL Collector’s Edition and, later, with the Giant and Petit editions.

Codex Gigas Petit

The Complete 624-Page Manuscript in a Compact Format

 

At the opposite end of the scale from The Giant Edition is the new Codex Gigas Petit.

Rather than attempting to reproduce the monumental dimensions of the medieval original, Petit was created around a different idea: making the complete Codex Gigas a book that can be comfortably held, explored and enjoyed.

Measuring 5.4 × 9.8 in. (13.8 × 25 cm), it contains the complete 624-page facsimile in a compact format designed for personal consultation and discovery.

The scale may be dramatically different, but the fascination of turning through the pages of one of history’s most extraordinary manuscripts remains.

One Manuscript. Four Ways to Experience It.

From the intimate proportions of the Codex Gigas Petit to the extraordinary physical presence of the full-size Giant Edition, each Galobart edition explores the Codex Gigas from a different perspective.

The Standard Edition began the journey. The XXL Collector’s Edition took the manuscript to monumental proportions. Both are now sold out.

Today, the Giant and Petit editions represent two opposite interpretations of the same legendary book — one recreating its extraordinary original scale, the other bringing all 624 pages into the hands of the reader.

The scale changes. The complete 624-page manuscript remains.