By Johann Josef Böker

Who is not speechless before the miracle of a Gothic cathedral? And who does not puzzled about the power of the great builders and the masons spamittelalterlichen? But what stands as sublime as a mystery in stone, has previously existed as a design on parchment. The Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna is lucky, the world's largest collection of original Gothic Baurisse from the 14th and 15 Century to possess. This invaluable inventory - 428 drawings - art historian Johann Josef Boker has worked for the first time comprehensively. His research is a cultural-historical event of the first order: it represents the history of Gothic architecture on a new basis. No researcher will in future around them, and no lover of the Gothic should miss the splendid volume, which makes the treasure now open to the public. On 464 pages the Baurisse are presented elaborately in full color, accompanied by historical black and white photos of the buildings most beautiful book of Austria 2005 The restored and digitized collection was awarded the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra in 2003 and is one of the "Memory of the World Register" by UNESCO.