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The Kis Miklós Totfalusi Museum

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The memorial museum, opened in 1991 in the old parish building of the Reformed church, is a tribute to the first printer in northwestern Transylvania. Totfalusi Kis Miklós was a prominent figure in the Romanian printing industry, being famous for his overwhelming contribution to the printing of the first Romanian books. The famous printer, born in 1650 in Tăuții-Măgherăuș, would begin the studies in his hometown and continued in Baia Mare and Aiud. Although the completion of his studies culminated in obtaining a position of Rector in Făgăraș city, he chose to leave Romania at the age of 30, becoming an apprentice printer in Amsterdam. For two years, between 1684 and 1686, he printed the Golden Bible, a revised copy of the Hungarian Bible. Among the achievements that earned him the title of the most famous engraver and caster in Amsterdam are the editing of the first cookbook and the creation of the first printed Georgian alphabet. Ten years after leaving his home country, he would return to Cluj-Napoca, where he used his valuable knowledge of the art of printing for the management of a book printing house. Unfortunately, some of the printed volumes attracted many enemies, and the unfavorable economic conditions of the time were felt in the declining number of book buyers. The printer passed away in 1702, in Cluj-Napoca. The Kis Miklós Totfalusi Museum presents to the public a valuable museum collection consisting of vintage books, printing press components, alphabet patterns, portraits and lithographs.

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