The goal of the course is to introduce foreign students into Hungary’s history through visiting some of the main archives and libraries of Budapest and Esztergom. Depending on the former preparation of the participants the visits include the study of old books and manuscripts as well. The documents selected mainly deal with religious and diplomatic contacts between Hungary and Italy and are in Latin, Italian and German. The visited libraries may vary from semester to semester.

Schedule:

Piliscsaba: classroom lesson, databases, paleography, questions and debate

Esztergom, Primate’s Archives: visit to the building and to the exhibition, study of a group of documents related to Napoleon’s debate with the Holy See in 1808 (German, Latin, Italian and Hungarian)

Budapest, National Library, Manuscripts Department: visit to the building and to the exhibition, study of Pietro Metastasio’s original manuscripts (18th century) + a Venetian chronicle (15th century)

Esztergom, Cathedral Library: visit to the building, to the Fugger Collection. Study of an incunabulum of Marsilio Ficino.

Pannonhalma, Benedictine Archabbey, visit to the Archabbey. the Cathedral, the botanic garden and the Library.

Budapest, National Archives – visit to the building, introductory lesson, Medieval documents + a 17th century correspondence

Budapest

span>, University Library, Old Printed Books Section. Visit to the building, introductory lesson, study of 16th century printed books.

Piliscsaba: classroom lesson, questions, evaluation.

Required and recommended reading: 

Required reading:

 Libraries and Librarianship in Hungary Today, Budapest, 2006 =

 http://mek.oszk.hu/04200/04288/04288.pdf 

Recommended sites:

http://www.primarch.hu/

 http://www.oszk.hu

 http://www.bences.hu/hu/foapatsag/latnivalok/konyvtar

 http://www.mol.gov.hu

http://www.konyvtar.elte.hu