Wittenburga, sax onic Oppid.. / Civitas Francfordiensis in Marchionatu Brandeburgensi,../ Wismaria,../ Rostochium,..

Title

Wittenburga, sax onic Oppid.. / Civitas Francfordiensis in Marchionatu Brandeburgensi,../ Wismaria,../ Rostochium,..

Description

Four views on one sheet. Bird's-eye view city map of Wittenburg, Frankfurt an der Oder, Rostock and Wismar. The names on the plates of Rostock and Wismar were accidentally exchanged. German edition.

ca. 1575

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

Wittenburg is a town in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany). The foundation of Wittenburg is not clearly documented. In 1194 Wittenburg was mentioned as a "provincie" of the county of Ratzeburg in Isfried's partition treaty. In 1201 a battle between the counts of Ratzeburg and Schwerin took place at Waschow, in the course of which the castle surrendered without a fight. This date also stands for the founding of the town of Wittenburg, but it may have been earlier.