Codex Gigas – The Devil’s Bible
An icon of mystery and medieval craftsmanship, reborn at its original monumental scale in the most extraordinary Codex Gigas edition ever created by The Galobart Books.
A full-size 1:1 facsimile, limited to only 6 individually numbered copies worldwide.
For the first time, our Codex Gigas is reproduced in the same extraordinary dimensions as the original manuscript preserved in Stockholm: approximately 89 × 49 cm (35 × 19.3 in).
Each monumental volume is masterfully handbound in genuine leather, enriched with faithfully recreated metallic ornaments that echo the splendor of the medieval original. Its 624 facsimile pages are individually hand-trimmed and finished in our atelier, following traditional artisanal methods to recreate the texture, edges and imposing presence of this legendary manuscript.
At this unprecedented 1:1 scale, the extraordinary proportions of the Codex Gigas can finally be experienced as they were conceived more than eight centuries ago.
This meticulous artisanal process transforms each of the six copies into a unique work in its own right — a monumental object created not simply to be read, but to be preserved, displayed and passed from one generation to the next.
Accompanying the facsimile is a luxurious companion volume, offering scholarly essays, historical insights and reflections on the enduring enigma of the Devil’s Bible.
The monumental facsimile is housed within a bespoke handcrafted red-lacquered wooden presentation chest, created exclusively for The Giant Edition. Each chest is individually numbered to correspond with its facsimile, making every set one of only six complete examples in existence.
89 × 49 cm · Full-size 1:1 facsimile · 624 pages · Only 6 copies worldwide
HISTORY
75 kilograms. 624 pages. That is the weight and extent of the mysterious Codex Gigas, whose name literally means “Giant Book.” Written in Latin, this monumental manuscript holds a dark legend that begins in the monastery of Podlažice, in present-day Czech Republic, in the early 13th century. It would eventually become known throughout the world as the Devil’s Bible.
According to experts, creating a manuscript containing the Old and New Testaments, two works by Flavius Josephus, the Ars medicinae, Isidore of Seville’s Etymologies, a calendar, and Cosmas of Prague’s Chronicle of the Bohemians, among other texts, would have required decades of work.
Legend, however, tells a very different story.
According to the myth, the entire Codex was handwritten in a single night by a Benedictine monk known as Herman the Recluse. Facing punishment, the monk promised to create in just one night a book containing all human knowledge. Realizing the task was impossible, he is said to have made a pact with the Devil in exchange for completing the manuscript.
The legend claims that this pact explains the extraordinary full-page portrait of the Devil found within the Codex.
Although representations of the Devil were common in medieval art, his appearance in the Codex Gigas is remarkable: he is depicted alone, occupying almost an entire page, directly opposite an image of the Heavenly City.
Over the centuries, the manuscript embarked on an extraordinary journey through European history. It eventually became part of the collection of Emperor Rudolf II and was taken to his castle in Prague in 1594.
There it remained until 1648, at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, when Swedish forces captured Prague and took the Codex Gigas as war booty. The manuscript was transported to Stockholm, where it later miraculously survived a devastating fire.
Today, the Codex Gigas is preserved at the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm, where its extraordinary dimensions continue to astonish visitors.
The gigantic medieval manuscript consists of 624 pages and measures approximately 89 × 49 cm (35 × 19.3 in), with a thickness of approximately 22 cm (8.7 in) and a weight of around 75 kg (165 lb).
Its parchment is traditionally estimated to have required the skins of approximately 160 animals. Subsequent studies of the handwriting suggest that the entire manuscript was produced by a single scribe.
Its pages contain biblical texts alongside chronicles, medical knowledge, calendars, penitential texts, magical formulas and other writings — an extraordinary compendium of medieval knowledge whose origins continue to fascinate historians and scholars.
The Codex Gigas has left Sweden only on rare occasions, including an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1970 and its celebrated return to Prague in 2007.
From Collectors of Our Previous Codex Gigas Editions
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Hi Alejandra Just wanted to say thank you for your help, patience and communications regarding my order of the Codex Gigas. I received it safely yesterday via DHL and it looks fantastic. I’m extremely pleased with how the book and presentation case has turned out as you promised.This is the 2nd limited edition that I’ve ordered and I shall cherish them both…Thanks again I look forward to ordering from you again.
Kind Regards
Drew Hartley. United Kingdom
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Just received the Devils Bible. What a thing of beauty it is.
Neil Woodhouse. United Kingdom
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Hi there Galobart! I have just received my order of the Codex Gigas and it is fantastic! Thank you for all your efforts and keep up the great work.
Matt. J. United Kingdom
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Hello!! I just wanted to write and tell you that the Codex Gigas is absolutely stunning! I am so glad I waited for it! The quality of your books is amazing and I will definitely order another book very soon. Thank you for everything you do.
Carol Zemen. Illinois. United States of America
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