"Civitas Francofordiana ad Moe:", Braun & Hogenberg

Braun & Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum or "Cities of the World" was published between 1572 and 1617. Within the six volumes, 531 towns and cities were depicted on 363 plates, providing the reader with the pleasures of travel without the attendant discomforts. Braun wrote in the preface to the third book, "What could be more pleasant than, in one's own home far from all danger, to gaze in these books at the universal form of the earth . . . adorned with the splendor of cities and fortresses and, by looking at pictures and reading the texts accompanying them, to acquire knowledge which could scarcely be had but by long and difficult journeys?" Braun and Hogenberg incorporated an astonishing wealth of information into each scene beyond the city layout and important buildings. The plates provide an impression of the economy and prominent occupations, and illustrate local costumes, manners and customs.

This is a beautiful bird's-eye view of the medieval town of Frankfurt on the River Main, showing the city as it was in the 16th century. The old city is enclosed within an elaborate system of walls and canals and is centered on St. Bartholomäus Cathedral, the church where German kings and emperors were coronated. On the south bank of the Main is the Sachsenhausen, which guarded the bridge into the city. The view shows the expansive farmland surrounding the city, and in the foreground is a couple dressed in the typical attire of the region. Latin text on verso.

References: Fussel, pp. 367-39; Goss (Cities) #20.

Condition: B

Contemporary color on a toned sheet with light soiling, a couple printer's creases at right, and archival reinforcement along the centerfold on verso. There is a short tear to the left of the centerfold and another in the left blank margin that have been closed on verso with archival materials.