Münzkabinett
Encyclopedia
The Münzkabinett is part of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
(Dresden State Art Collections), Germany. Founded around 1530, it is one of the oldest museums in Dresden. It is located in the Dresden Castle
.
The Münzkabinett is among the three largest numismatic collections in Germany. It holds this title with a collection of nearly 300,000 objects, including coins from most countries dating from Antiquity to present day, historic and modern medals, orders and insignia, bank notes and historic bonds, minting dies for coins and medals, seals, models, pre-monetary means of payment, and minting machines and equipment. The Münzkabinett has the status of a Landsmünzkabinett belonging to the State of Saxony, and it is responsible for any hoards of coins found on Saxon territory.
The Münzkabinett is also a center of scholarly research and has a library, open to the public, containing approximately 30,000 volumes.
period. Beginning in the second half of the 18th century, the Münzkabinett also developed into an important German center of scholarly research.
The collection was kept in the Dresden Castle
until 1743, when it was moved to the Taschenbergpalais
. In 1786, it was transferred by Elector Friedrich August III
, the son of Augustus II the Strong
, along with the library and the collection of antiquities, to the Japanisches Palais
. In 1877, the Münzkabinett was moved back to the Dresden Castle. From 1911 until 1945, it was housed in the Chancellery Building near the Stallhof.
At the end of the war in 1945, the collection was confiscated by the Red Army
and transported to the Soviet Union
. It returned to Dresden in 1958 without the books and magazines which had also been taken. From 1959 until 2002, a selection of coins and medals was on view in the Albertinum
.
In the summer of 2002, the Münzkabinett finally moved to its place of origin, the Georgenbau of the Dresden Castle. Until the permanent exhibition is installed in the Dresden Castle in a few years’ time, the collection is holding a series of short term exhibitions in the Hausmannsturm.
For research work, the collection has a library containing approximately 30,000 volumes at its disposal. The library including its study room (Studiensaal) are open to the public.
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is a cultural institution in Dresden, Germany, owned by the State of Saxony. It belongs to the most renowned and oldest museum institutions in the world, originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in the 16th century .Today, the Dresden State Art...
(Dresden State Art Collections), Germany. Founded around 1530, it is one of the oldest museums in Dresden. It is located in the Dresden Castle
Dresden castle
Dresden Castle is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden. For almost 400 years, it has been the residence of the electors and kings of Saxony...
.
The Münzkabinett is among the three largest numismatic collections in Germany. It holds this title with a collection of nearly 300,000 objects, including coins from most countries dating from Antiquity to present day, historic and modern medals, orders and insignia, bank notes and historic bonds, minting dies for coins and medals, seals, models, pre-monetary means of payment, and minting machines and equipment. The Münzkabinett has the status of a Landsmünzkabinett belonging to the State of Saxony, and it is responsible for any hoards of coins found on Saxon territory.
The Münzkabinett is also a center of scholarly research and has a library, open to the public, containing approximately 30,000 volumes.
History
The Münzkabinett is one of Dresden’s oldest museums with a history going back to the time of Duke Georg the Bearded (1500–1539). Over the course of the centuries, the collection has expanded due to the constant acquisition of items by the Electors and Kings of Saxony. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Dresden Münzkabinett was already a famous coin collection in Europe. The collection evolved to universal status during much of the BaroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period. Beginning in the second half of the 18th century, the Münzkabinett also developed into an important German center of scholarly research.
The collection was kept in the Dresden Castle
Dresden castle
Dresden Castle is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden. For almost 400 years, it has been the residence of the electors and kings of Saxony...
until 1743, when it was moved to the Taschenbergpalais
Taschenbergpalais
Taschenbergpalais is a grand hotel in Taschenberg, Dresden, Germany. It is located near Dresden Castle and Zwinger.-History:The building was built from 1705 to 1708 by Johann Friedrich Karcher as a palace for countess Anna Constanze von Hoym. It was destroyed in 1945 by The Second World War and it...
. In 1786, it was transferred by Elector Friedrich August III
Augustus III of Poland
Augustus III, known as the Saxon ; ; also Prince-elector Friedrich August II was the Elector of Saxony in 1733-1763, as Frederick Augustus II , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1734-1763.-Biography:Augustus was the only legitimate son of Augustus II the Strong, Imperial Prince-Elector...
, the son of Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
, along with the library and the collection of antiquities, to the Japanisches Palais
Japanisches Palais
Japanisches Palais is a Baroque palace in Dresden, eastern Germany, built in 1715. It was extended in 1729-1731, to store the Japanese porcelain collection of Augustus the Strong , although it was never used for this purpose, and instead was used as a library.The Japanisches Palais was partly...
. In 1877, the Münzkabinett was moved back to the Dresden Castle. From 1911 until 1945, it was housed in the Chancellery Building near the Stallhof.
At the end of the war in 1945, the collection was confiscated by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and transported to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It returned to Dresden in 1958 without the books and magazines which had also been taken. From 1959 until 2002, a selection of coins and medals was on view in the Albertinum
Albertinum
The Albertinum is a famous fine art museum in Dresden, Germany, close to Brühl's Terrace and the Zwinger.- History :The Albertinum, named after Saxon king Albert, was built between 1884 and 1887 by Carl Adolf Canzler on the site of a former armoury to serve as a public museum and archive...
.
In the summer of 2002, the Münzkabinett finally moved to its place of origin, the Georgenbau of the Dresden Castle. Until the permanent exhibition is installed in the Dresden Castle in a few years’ time, the collection is holding a series of short term exhibitions in the Hausmannsturm.
Exhibition and library
The Münzkabinett exhibition in the Hausmannsturm (Hausmann Tower) is open from April to October. It shows around 300 outstanding objects, including great rarities and unique items, which represent a cross-section of the various parts of the collection. The objects on display have been selected on account of the artistic quality, material value, significance within cultural history, or by the documentation of restoration work. This small and seasonal exhibition is intended to draw the attention to the much larger permanent exhibition that the Münzkabinett will be installing after the castle's restoration is due to be completed in 2013.For research work, the collection has a library containing approximately 30,000 volumes at its disposal. The library including its study room (Studiensaal) are open to the public.
External links
- Münzkabinett Homepage of the Dresden State Art Collections