Complex of museums, Plantin factory - Moretus in Antwerp

Unesco Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization Unesco has recognized the Museum Complex, Plantin - Moretus in Antwerp of Belgium as a World Cultural Heritage in 2005.

Plantin Museum - Moretus is a printing factory and also a Renaissance-shaped publisher. Plantin Museum - Moretus is located in Antwerp, one of the top three printing cities in Europe with Paris and Venice.

The name of the Museum is named after two famous 16th century print characters: Christoffel Plantijn and Jan Moretus . Plantin Museum - Moretus is home to evidence of life and print-related work by European publishers in the 16th century. Also at the museum are exhibits such as old printers, pictures of ancient libraries, valuable prints . of printing companies built after the 16th century, including those that were still active until 1867.

The museum complex, the Plantin - Moretus factory in Antwerp is historically valuable because it is a testament to the development of literature and science in Europe.

The archived documents at the museum now have a lot of cultural, literary, commercial, accounting works . all of which demonstrate the commercial development in Europe in the 16th century with Culture is the first focus. In addition, the museum system is valuable because it has been built, operated continuously for many years, transmitted through many generations of this printing technology. Complex of museums, Plantin - Moretus factory in Antwerp is also an important asset of Renaissance European history, Baroque and Classical period with countless valuable documents that it has stored.

The reason for the Museum, Plantin - Moretus factory could have such advanced techniques as well as science because it was built in the city of Antwerp . The city of Antwerp is a 9th-century, highly developed city located on the banks of the Schelde River. After several centuries of existence until the 13th century, 14 Antwerp really affirmed its position with a series of financial transaction centers, European cultural exchange centers, import centers and meeting centers. debugging of writers and artists . formed.

Some printers and prints are currently on display at the Museum.

The development of a series of centers has made Antwerp a truly international market at the time. This is the premise of the city's printing industry boom and the printing industry has flourished in the 15th century. By the middle of the 16th century, the whole city had about 140 printing plants. , publisher, bookstore . Antwerp has since become a center of international-scale businesses and major publishers along with Venice and Paris. Among them, the large printing and publishing house belonged to Christopher Plantin.

Print versions used for printing and publishing in the past are currently on display at the museum.

Christopher Plantin researched and signed very well before deciding to open a printing factory in this city. According to his calculations, the city has a population of more than 100,000 people around the 16th century, including many aristocratic families. Besides, the city was very developed at this stage and is a growing international trading center in Europe. With research, market research and large-scale investment, Christopher Plantin's printing factory quickly became the largest printing factory in Europe and earned huge profits every year for his family. In 1589, Christopher Plantin died, the printing factory was in danger of losing market by other competitors. At that time, Jan Moretus took over the company and continued to develop the printing career established by Christopher Plantin until 1867.

The area with many artifacts is on display at the Museum

Since the middle of the 17th century, the printing industry in Antwerp began to fall into a recession, although at this time a few workshops were still in good working order and brought many printing products to export to markets. international schools like the Netherlands, Spain .
In 1873, the building was a printing factory, Plantin - Moretus publishing company was sold to the Antwerp City Government with a few agreements.

In 1876, the Plantin Museum - Moretus was founded on the remains of this building.

Currently, the Museum is being preserved completely. The rooms that were originally preserved as they are today include 35 rooms including a guest room, the room of René Vandevoir (1892-1966), rooms of famous writers such as Flemish, Emile Verhaeren .

The museum complex, Plantin - Moretus factory in Antwerp is accredited by Unesco on the basis of the criteria (ii); (iii), (iv).

Criterion (ii): Through publications printed at Plantin - Moretus factory, it can be seen that the important role of the development of science and literature and culture is the focus of humanism at Europe in the 16th century.

Criterion (iii): Documents, trade books, literary works . of world-famous scholars published, printing in Plantin printing workshop - Moretus is outstanding evidence for transmission. culture as well as the importance of culture during this time in Europe.

Criterion (iv): The populations of museums and Plantin factories - Moretus are also examples of family relationships and succession for centuries. Besides, there are documents of unrivaled value in European history of the Renaissance, the Baroque period and the Classical period.

Criterion (vi): Complex of museums, Plantin - Moretus is a complete combination of ideas, beliefs and technical technology with cultural and artistic works that can be universal.