Endres Tuchers Baumeisterbuch der Stadt Nürnberg

The volume is a meticulously kept record of Nuremberg’s building and civic affairs from the mid‑15th century, originally compiled by the city’s master builder Endres Tucher. The surviving manuscript is a sturdy folio of 229 leaves, bound in leather‑covered wood and adorned with brass fittings, its pages alternating between parchment and strong paper. Early pages bear striking blue‑red initials and red headings, while later entries show a slightly more hurried hand, evidencing the continuous work of several scribes.

Inside, the book unfolds as a practical guide for the town council, listing construction regulations, topographical observations, and detailed registers of persons, places, and materials. Modern editors have added extensive commentary, translating the original script into a clear, serif‑free typeface and providing comprehensive notes that illuminate the social and architectural context of the era. Listeners will hear the rhythm of medieval bureaucracy brought to life, gaining a window into how a thriving medieval city organized its growth and maintained its public spaces.