Codex Gigas: the 800-year-old Devil's Bible of Bohemia. The Codex Gigas, also known as the Devil's Bible, first appears in the historical record in 1295. It was created at Podlažice monastery in Bohemia, which was later destroyed in the 15th century. The manuscript stands 3 feet tall, weighs 165 lbs, and required the skins of 160 calves for its parchment.
The Codex Gigas, aka the Devil's Bible, is one of the most jaw-dropping manuscripts to survive the Middle Ages. Created at Podlažice monastery in Bohemia, it stands 3 feet tall, weighs 165 lbs, and used the skins of 160 calves. A single scribe wrote all 620 pages over roughly 25-30 years, filling them with a Bible, encyclopedia, medical texts, and even exorcism rites. Page 577 features a full-page devil portrait that gave the book its sinister name, and someone cut out 12 mysterious pages we may never fully understand.
Key Facts
- The Codex Gigas, also known as the Devil's Bible, first appears in the historical record in 1295.
- It was created at Podlažice monastery in Bohemia, which was later destroyed in the 15th century.
- The manuscript stands 3 feet tall, weighs 165 lbs, and required the skins of 160 calves for its parchment.
- It contains 620 pages written by a single scribe, including a complete Bible, encyclopedia, medical texts, magic formulas, and exorcism rites.
- Handwriting analysis confirms a single scribe wrote it, with letters 2.5 mm tall and 106 lines per page.
- Page 577 contains a full-page portrait of the devil.
- The project is estimated to have taken 25 to 30 years.
- Twelve pages are missing from the book; someone cut them out and the identity is unknown.
- Swedish soldiers looted it from Prague and took it to Stockholm, where it now resides in the National Library of Sweden.
- The legend claims a monk named Herman wrote it in one night with the devil's help.
Source: The Emperor, the Devil, and the Giant: 5 Impossible Ancient Prisoners by Dark5 Ancient Mysteries