"Mauritiopolis Reciffa, et Circumiacentia Castra", Merian, Matthaus

A rare bird's-eye plan of the city of Recife and environs with emphasis on the Dutch fortifications. Although first founded by the Portuguese, the Dutch decided to invade several cities in Pernambuco due to the local sugarcane industry. From 1630 to 1654 the Dutch controlled the city of Recife, which became the new capital of Dutch Brazil, the city of Mauritsstad. Mauritsstad (here called Mauritiopolis) became one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world under Dutch rule, and is known as having the first Jewish community and synagogue, botanical garden, and zoo in the Americas.

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Condition: B+

Attractive color on watermarked paper with a printer's crease at left and a tiny hole in an unengraved area of map near centerfold at bottom. There are archival repairs to short centerfold separations at top and bottom and two tears that enter 1/2" and 1" into map at right. Small chips in top corners have been repaired with old paper, with a minute amount of neatline in facsimile.