Plantin-Moretus Museum

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**Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex**¹
**UNESCO World Heritage Site**

State Party	Belgium
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii, iv, vi
Identification	#1185
Region²	Europe and North America
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	2005 29th WH Committee Session
WH link:	http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1185
1 Name as officially inscribed on the WH List 2 As classified officially by UNESCO

The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a museum in Antwerp, Belgium honouring the famous printers Christoffel Plantijn and Jan Moretus. It is located in their former residence and printing establishment, Plantin Press, at the Friday Market.

1 History
2 Collection
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

The printing company was founded in the 16th century by Christoffel Plantijn. After his death it was owned by his son-in-law Jan Moretus.

In 1876 Edward Moretus sold the company to the city of Antwerp. One year later the public could visit the living areas and the printing presses. In 2002 the museum was nominated as UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2005 it was finally put on this list (as the first museum to be on the World Heritage List).

The Plantin-Moretus Museum possesses an exceptional collection of typographical material. Not only does it house the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world and complete sets of dies and matrices, it can also be proud of its magnificent library, a richly decorated interior and the entire archives of the Plantin business.