Strasbourg and Mainz celebrate Gutenberg together: Mayor Haase presents world record
The largest Bible page ever printed in the world is now on display in Strasbourg Cathedral. The Mayor of Strasbourg, Catherine Trautmann, and the Mayor of Mainz, Nino Haase, celebrated Gutenberg's media revolution together at the Europe Festival on May 9.
The world’s largest Bible page is now on tour: After a year at Mainz Cathedral, it will be on display at Strasbourg Cathedral from May 9 to August 31, 2026. This monumental reproduction of a page from the Gutenberg Bible was created at the initiative of the International Gutenberg Society.
Mainz Mayor Nino Haase traveled to Strasbourg personally for the ceremony: “Here we are celebrating Gutenberg and his life’s work, and at the same time we are celebrating Europe. Gutenberg developed movable type printing in Strasbourg and Mainz. His invention, which revolutionized the media world, is therefore an outstanding symbol of European cooperation. Together, Europe is innovative and strong!”
World record: Largest Bible page
The world’s largest Bible page was created during the “625 Years of Gutenberg” anniversary year on April 26, 2025, in a spectacular printing event. In addition to the International Gutenberg Society from Mainz and other partners, the Strasbourg-based initiative Espace Européen Gutenberg was also involved.
Mayor Haase thanked the initiators and everyone who made the exhibition possible in Strasbourg for their “outstanding dedication,” including Markus Kohz, Carina Weißmann, and Guy Tinsel, the president of the Espace Européen Gutenberg.
The monumental page measures 36 square meters and has dimensions of 5 x 7.20 meters. It is the first page of the Gospel of John from the so-called “Shuckburgh Bible,” the original of which is housed in the treasury of the Gutenberg Museum MOVED. It was created using letterpress printing with the aid of a computer-milled wooden block.
Destination: Centre Gutenberg in Strasbourg
The presentation in Strasbourg is part of a larger cultural project by the Espace Européen Gutenberg, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of printing and media. The long-term goal is to establish a “Centre Gutenberg” in Strasbourg—a European center for the art of printing, book history, typography, and graphic innovation.
More information about the ceremony on May 9
The International Gutenberg Society is also providing photos from the ceremony held on May 9 at Strasbourg Cathedral.
Media contact: Dr. Carina Weißmann, Executive Director of the International Gutenberg Society in Mainz e.V., info(at)gutenberg-gesellschaft.de