Every now and then books have to be taken off the shelves and handled, otherwise the leather or linen would become brittle. Bookbinder Diethelm Büscher uses milking grease to polish the embroidery of antique books from the monastic library in the lobby of ‘Santa Isabel’.

He not only restores but also shows the curious guests how to bind a book in just five minutes, entirely without glue or staples! With his years of experience, he likes to talk about his treasures and tools while working, such as the quill, reed pen, ink and parchment. The 17th century saw the birth of a great era of bookbinding, something that Büscher’s historical garment is reminiscent of. Books were very valuable items which were predominantly written by hand in monasteries and given intricate decorations. Folded, sewn together and placed between two heavy wooden covers with a leather exterior, this is how they were artistically produced. Some examples can also be admired at the hotels in Europa-Park.