Durlach und Gotzaw item von anderen flecken in der Marggraveschafft gelegen./ Pfortzheim. / Marggraveschafft Baden.

Title

Durlach und Gotzaw item von anderen flecken in der Marggraveschafft gelegen./ Pfortzheim. / Marggraveschafft Baden.

The obverse shows the city of Durlach (today the largest district of Karlsruhe) with a view of Pforzheim below, each with German text. The reverse shows the coat of arms of the Margraviate of Baden and of a bath.

ca. 1550

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

Durlach is a district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg and has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. Durlach was first mentioned in a document in 1116. In the 16th century, Durlach was chosen by the Margraves of Baden as a residence city. In 1715, Margrave Karl III Wilhelm of Baden-Durlach founded the city of Karlsruhe. He moved the residence from Durlach to Karlsruhe, which was originally planned as a hunting lodge. With the relocation of the residence, Durlach began to decline as the capital, but it remained an important place. Today, Durlach is an important district of Karlsruhe and is characterized by a mix of historical architecture, such as the Durlacher Tor and the Castle, as well as modern residential and commercial buildings. ------Pforzheim was first mentioned in a document in 1080. The city was located on an important trade route and developed into a regional center during the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, Pforzheim was granted city rights. It was an important place for trade and craftsmanship and grew as a center for textile and metalworking. In the 19th century, Pforzheim experienced an economic boom, especially due to the jewelry and watchmaking industry, which made the city world-famous.