"Book of the Devil" was born at midnight

75 kg weigh 312 pages of parchment scroll on which is written knowledge of this mortal world. 160 calves were stabbed and tore off their skin dried to make the parchment, then put on a mysterious letter that could disassemble only local certificates.

In those days, the monasteries were the sole repositories of knowledge. They studied ancient writings and records that should be passed on to future generations. Codex Gigas, which translated from Latin means merely "a gigantic book," is one of the monasteries in the Czech Bohemia. Its size is really striking: 89 Height 5 cm, width 49 cm and a thickness of 22 cm. The secret letters hidden in a wooden cover. Each letter is written out pen and ink made from soot deposited at twilight on dried animal skin. This primarily explains the value of rare books, writes FOCUS ONLINE.

In addition to the Old and New Testaments, it contains 14 Latin texts, including the famous "Etymology" Isidore of Seville, «Antiquitates Judaica» Josephus and «Chronica Boemorum» medieval chronicler Cosmas of Prague. Ancient texts written mostly by hand, only a small part of the typeset. This is one reason why the Codex Gigas is called "Devil's Bible».

Leafing through the book page by page, amazed that it was written not just artistically, but each letter is derived single hand.

Create amazing book surrounded by legends. The penalty for violation of monastic discipline, a monk allegedly were walling up alive. To avoid such a harsh punishment, the convict is said to have offered overnight to write the knowledge of the whole world, and thus glorify his own abbey. When the disobedient person realized at midnight that he could not cope with the task, he enlisted the help of the devil. Crafty immediately came and, as usual, demanded as the price per sinful monk. Pact with the devil was sealed by the monk finished the book that night - and thanks to drew on its pages Beelzebub Portrait in full growth.

If this story - the legend, the demonic figure - it's a fact. Polutorametrovy devil painted on the 290th page of the notorious Code. A few pages before this pattern filled with ink, and after graffiti depicting Satan removed following 8 pages of text. Who did it, still covered with mystery. "Devil's Bible", despite the misty legends, has never been banned. Moreover, several generations of young monks studied Scripture on it.

Now the "Devil's Bible" hidden under the bulletproof glass, exhibited in the gallery of the Prague Klementinum. The treasure of national culture only temporarily staying in their homeland. During the Thirty Years War, in 1649, it was taken as a trophy with the Swedes in Stockholm. There should it and come back. Only specialists of the Swedish Royal Library have the opportunity to turn the pages of the sensational book - pre wearing gloves on his hands