Tornacum / Tournay.

Title

Tornacum / Tournay.

Description

Bird’s-eye view showing a map of the city of Tournai in Belgium, with three heraldic representations, a title and index cartouche, and staffage figures in the foreground. Verso with a French description, page 9.

ca. 1588

Artist

Braun/Hogenberg Franz/ Georg (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

Tournay (Tournai ) is one of the oldest cities in Belgium, situated on the River Scheldt near the French border. Known as Turnacum in Roman times, the city became an important centre of the Frankish kingdom in the 5th century and served as a residence of the Merovingian kings. King Childeric I, father of Clovis I, was buried here. During the Middle Ages, Tournai flourished as a prosperous trading and textile-producing city. Due to its strategic location, it was frequently contested by France, the Habsburgs, and other European powers. Among its most notable landmarks are the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and the medieval Belfry, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.