The Book

of Kells
“The Work Not of Men but of Angels”
(Giraldus Cambrensis, c.1150 AD)

The Book of Kells is one of the most famous books

in the world. It took 30 years to write and was
completed in about 800 AD.

At the time the book was produced, Irish monks

were famous around Europe for their work as
scribes and illustrators. The scribes and artists who
created the Book were Columban monks. They live
in a monastery on the remote island of Iona, near
Scotland. An Irish monk called St. Colm Cille /kɔlm
kɪl/ founded this monastery in the sixth century.

The manuscript is made of vellum (calfskin) and

contains the four Gospels of the Bible with beautiful
illustrations. It is the most elaborate manuscript to
survive from the Middle Ages.

The Book of Kells contains 680 pages. Only two of

the pages have no decoration and about 30 pages
are missing. The original cover was stolen during a
Viking invasion because it was made of gold and
precious stones.

The detail in the Book is amazing. Each symbol and

design is unique and never repeated in the Book. In
one part there are over 158 connecting ribbons
inside an area of 2.5 cm² and there are no mistakes
even if you search with a magnifying glass. For
many years people believed that the Book of Kells
was written by angels because it is so perfect.

The Book of Kells is the most famous book in the

Library of Trinity College Dublin
It is permanently on display so when you are here in
Ireland you should go to visit this fantastic library
and see the most famous book in the world.