Iron Library

Only a few meters from where bathers and water sport enthusiasts enjoy the Rhine in fine weather stands the idyllic Klostergut Paradies, home of the unique Iron Library. The library is one of the world’s largest private specialist libraries on technology and science with 750 years of literature.

The Schaffhausen industrial corporation Georg Fischer established the Iron Library Foundation in 1948. The Corporate Archives of GF, a Swiss cultural asset of national significance, have been located under the same roof for over 80 years.

In accordance with the Iron Library's name, mining, production, and processing of metals were the original focus of the collection. Since the founding, however, the focus of the collection has broadened significantly to include the history of science and technology, industrial culture, and other industrial materials such as plastics.

The Iron Library is a reference library open to the public. It owns many rare and precious books, including Newton’s “Principia”, “De re metallica" (1556 ff), and an illuminated 13^th century manuscript with texts by Aristotle and Albertus Magnus. Guided tours of the collection and visits to the reading room can be arranged by appointment. The library team also provides free support for specific inquiries and research.