Rare books of the Presidential Library

Rare books are manuscripts or printed publications of exceptional spiritual and material value, that have a special historical, scientific, and cultural significance. The presented collection features selected rare books from the collection of precious books of the XVI–XX centuries, donated to the Presidential Library in May 2009. Most of this collection is unique, many publications relate to rare books of great value. First of all, these are foreign books before 1700, and domestic publications before 1830, the first or lifetime editions of Russian classics, the best examples of decorated and illustrated books, as well as editions that belonged to former book collections of famous institutions and organizations, prominent public and state figures, scientists and cultural workers.

At present, the digital collection includes foreign books of the XVI–XVII centuries and domestic civil type publications of the XVIII century - 1830. It features the oldest edition in the rare books collection - "Notes upon Russia" by Baron Sigismund von Herberstein, published in Basel in 1551; one of the best-illustrated publications of the XVII century - the Martin Luther Bible of 1672; a rare edition "The spirit of the great Suvorov, or Anecdotes about the Italian Prince Count Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov of Rymnik", forbidden by order of Alexander I.

The materials are arranged in the chronological order according to the time of publication.

The work on the development of the digital collection is to be continued.