According to Karl De Smedt, sourdough belongs to the entire world. Burbling away in refrigerators at his Puratos Sourdough Library in St. Vith, Belgium, are over 100 sourdough starters from around the globe. Each one has been chosen specifically for its renown, origins, and often, estimated age.

In the video above, Atlas Obscura gets an insider’s tour of the world’s only sourdough library. As De Smedt explains, his institute aims to preserve the biodiversity of and histories behind sourdoughs from around the world. For more on De Smedt and his work, read Anne Ewbank’s recent feature story.

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