Vollkorn
Designed by Friedrich Althausen at the Bauhaus-University Weimar, Vollkorn (German for "wholemeal") is a robust serif typeface built for everyday reading — one of the very first free webfonts on the internet. Its dark, meaty serifs and lively rhythm make it ideal for editorial content, literary brands, and long-form text where warmth and readability matter. The family supports Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek scripts with OpenType features including small caps, ligatures, and old-style figures.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
About Vollkorn
- Designer
- Friedrich Althausen
- Released
- 2005
- License
- SIL Open Font License 1.1
- Category
- Editorial Serif
- Recommended Weight
- 700
- Variable Axes
- weight
- Script Support
- Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Vietnamese
- Available Weights
- 400500600700800900
Pairs Well With
Open Sans
Open Sans’ clean humanist forms create a natural hierarchy with Vollkorn’s warm text serifs, ideal for editorial layouts.
Compare side by sideLato
Lato’s subtle warmth complements Vollkorn’s dark, meaty serifs for a cohesive reading experience in long-form content.
Compare side by sideWork Sans
Work Sans’ geometric clarity provides a crisp sans-serif companion that contrasts well with Vollkorn’s old-style character.
Compare side by sideSimilar Fonts
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Vollkorn considered one of the pioneering free webfonts?
Vollkorn was released in 2005, years before Google Fonts launched. It was one of the earliest high-quality libre serif typefaces designed specifically for screen reading, paving the way for the open-source webfont movement.
What OpenType features does Vollkorn include?
Vollkorn offers small caps, ligatures, old-style figures, tabular and proportional numerals, and stylistic alternates. These features give typographers fine control over text presentation, especially for editorial and literary contexts.
How does Vollkorn compare to Merriweather for body text?
Vollkorn has a darker color on the page with meatier serifs and a livelier rhythm, giving it a more traditional, book-like feel. Merriweather was designed more explicitly for screen with a taller x-height and wider proportions. Vollkorn rewards careful typographic attention in literary settings.