Holdings
The Zittau collection contains a number of objects dating from the siege of Vienna in 1683, including weapons and
seals as well as two Ottoman edicts. Both date from the time of the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I.
Collection history
The history of the Zittau collection began with a gift from Vienna in 1564. The collection of scientific
instruments, works of art, natural objects and curiosities, as well as manuscripts and books, quickly developed
into one of the first public collections in Central Europe, known as Kunst- und Wunderkammer (Chamber of Art and
Curiosities) of the Zittau Ratsbibliothek. In 1709, the collection was given its own representative exhibition
hall in the so-called Heffter Building at the former Franciscan monastery. In 1854, Städtischen Museen Zittau were
founded as Saxony's first municipal museum. They have been constantly expanded and today comprise an extensive
collection of regional history and folklore with over 40,000 objects - including the two Zittau lenten cloths from
1472 and 1573 - in art, numismatics, zinc and furniture. The two Ottoman edicts may have originally come from the
holdings of the Christian Weise Library in Zittau.
Catalogues
No catalogues available.
