Calatia

Title

Calatia

Description

Bird's eye view of Calatia today Caiazzo with Castello Longobardo in the province of Caserta in Campania.

ca. 1597

Artist

Braun/Hogenberg (1572-1618)

Frans Hogenberg (1535 – 1590) was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. Hogenberg was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg In 1568 he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva. He travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He is known for portraits and topographical views as well as historical allegories. He also produced scenes of contemporary historical events. George Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the "Civitates Orbis Terrarum". The first volume of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum was published in Cologne in 1572. The sixth and the final volume appeared in 1617. This great city atlas, edited by Georg Braun and largely engraved by Franz Hogenberg, eventually contained 546 prospects, bird-eye views and map views of cities from all over the world. Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the work, and was greatly assisted in his project by the close, and continued interest of Abraham Ortelius, whose Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of 1570 was, as a systematic and comprehensive collection of maps of uniform style, the first true atlas.

Historical Description

According to legend, Caiazzo was founded by Calatia, a nymph, daughter of Tifata, who, beloved by the god Volturno, fled here to escape her father's wrath. In ancient times the area was inhabited by the Oscians and the Samnites. Since the 9th century A.D. the diocese of Caiazzo is documented. In 1978 the diocese was merged with that of Alife in terms of personnel, and in 1986 it was definitively annexed to the diocese of Alife-Caiazzo.