Das Dritte Buch / Von der Statt Gotha in Thüringen sampt ihrer Abcontrafactur.

Title

Das Dritte Buch / Von der Statt Gotha in Thüringen sampt ihrer Abcontrafactur.

The illustration shows the city of Gotha in Thuringia from a bird's-eye view. Below, there is a site index and partially a portrait of Johann Friedrich I of Saxony. The back side features text about the city of Erfurt and the Mühlberg Castle in Thuringia.

ca. 1574

Artist

Münster (1489-1552)

Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) was a leading Renaissance cosmographer. His most famous work, the Cosmographia (1544), was a comprehensive description of the world with 24 maps, based on research dating back to 1528. Continuously revised, the 1550 edition already included many new maps. It was the first scientific yet accessible world description published in German, illustrated with numerous woodcuts by artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1544 and 1650, the Cosmographia appeared in 46 editions (27 in German) and was translated into several languages. Münster’s work combined the knowledge of scholars, artists, and travelers and remained influential long after his death.

Historical Description

Gotha is a historic city in Thuringia, Germany, with a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. Gotha was first mentioned in the 8th century and was an important center for trade and craftsmanship during the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, the city became the seat of the Counts of Schwarzburg and later the Dukes of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha. In the 16th century, Gotha experienced an economic boom, particularly driven by the textile industry and the trade in wool. From the 17th century onwards, under the Dukes of Sachsen-Coburg, Gotha became a cultural hub and was known for its castles and gardens, such as Schloss Friedenstein, one of the oldest Baroque castles in Germany. In the 19th century, Gotha played a role in the German unification and was a political center in the Duchy of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha. Today, Gotha is known for its historic old town, Schloss Friedenstein, the Ducal Museum, and the Ekhof Theatre, the oldest preserved Baroque theatre in the world.