Museum of the Bible named after Ernest Gluck is located in the picturesque town of Aluksne. It is said that this museum is the only one in Europe, and sometimes claim that he - the only one in the world.

Bible Museum is located in a small historic house, built in the early XX century. The building is handed over to the parish Lutheran church after the restoration of independence Latvia has received. House has been renovated with donations of parishioners.

The museum tells about the important work of the German pastor Ernst Gluck (years of life: 1654-1705) for the benefit of Aluksne and Latvia. Gluck was born in Saxony. In Wittenberg and Leipzig University he received his theological education. In 1680, he became a pastor. The Marienburg (formerly known as the city Aluksne) Gluck began to live since 1683. It was here from 1685 to 1689 years, he translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latvian. This Bible weighs 4 kg, the volume of 4874 pages.

When the pastor began to work on the translation, he planted an oak near the house. After 4 years, after work, he was imprisoned a second oak. Both historical giant trees survived. They are called - oaks Gluck. Not far from them erected a memorial stone - a monument to the pastor.

There is a theory according to which the first oak appeared after the completion of the translation of the Old Testament, and the second - on the day the translation of the New Testament. Probably so. Most likely, the pastor could not be translated in 4 years on the Latvian language and the Old and New Testament.

Ernest Gluck is also the compiler of several books on Russian grammar and geography.

Interestingly, Gluck grew up girl Skavronskaya March, she was an orphan and lived with their own children the pastor. In the future, she became the wife of Peter I and the first Russian empress Catherine I.

Pastor was buried in the old German cemetery, which is located near the Marina groves.

Until the XX century Bible translated Gluck, it is the largest printing works, published in Latvia. It was printed in Riga in the print shop of Johann Georg fork. But the original manuscripts of the Bible into the Latvian language is stored in the capital of Sweden - Stockholm. The form of this sacred book for the Latvian Christian depicted on the emblem of Aluksne.

Also in the museum visitors can see many different editions of the Bible, translated from the first to the modern computer. The museum's collection - a very rich and diverse. It consists of more than 220 copies of the Bible. Also presented 170 books of the New Testament, the Book of Psalms 210, 40 books of sermons and more than 210 other Christian books such as the Old Testament, the Gospels, the textbooks in Latvian and other languages ​​(more than 35 languages).

Recently, the museum of Ernest Gluck Japanese Susumu Nakagawa presented the Bible in Japanese. For the first time, having been in Aluksne, Susumu visited the Museum of the Bible that made a lasting impression on him. And then he decided to find in Japan, the Scriptures translated into Japanese, and then personally deliver it to Latvia.

In the museum you can buy a Bible in Latvian and Russian, published today, other literature Christian content, souvenirs and postcards.