It was created in the first half of the 13th century, most probably in 1229, in the Benedictine convent in Podlazice, close to town of Chrudim. But nothing is sure about the author or reasons why and for whom was this huge manuscript originally made. Historians suggest, that this amazing book, which was considered as a world miracle in the middle ages, may have been created by one person, who dedicated maybe even 20 years of his life to its creation.

There is a legend explaining the creation of this amazing work of 624 pages. It says that there lived a monk in the Podlazice monastery, who was for his evil crime sentenced to immuring alive. To avoid a punishment, he promised to write the biggest book in the whole world during one single night – and this would not be possible without a help of the devil. As an act of gratitude, the monk painted the devil’s picture in the book. And this drawing, full page and colorful picture, is the most noticeable part of the whole opus.

The book is composed from different texts: the Bible, precepts for priests, magical formulas and so on, but especially there is the Chronica Bohemorum – The Czech Chronicle