Maps of Bavarian Cities

Over 160 maps for the cities of Old Bavaria, Franconia and Swabia are gathered in this project. They come from the rich collections of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library).

Most cities were mapped for the first time in the nineteenth century, so that maps from this period are the focal point of this project.

The oldest city map presented here is also the oldest map of Munich (Mapp. XI, 441 b), produced in 1613 by Tobias Volkmer (1586–1659) and dedicated to Duke Maximilian I (1573–1651). The map of Lauingen 1617 (Mapp. XI, 438 da), created by Christoph Senfft (d. c.1635), the map of Bamberg (Mapp. 44-6#15) from a bird’s-eye view in Braun/Hogenberg, Civitates Orbis Terrarum of 1618, a further map of Munich (1644) (Mapp. XI, 441 k) and, finally, a map of the imperial city of Nuremberg of 1648 (Hbks/E 29-4) follow in chronological order. The last two maps were made by Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593–1650), the renowned German-Swiss copperplate engraver and publisher. A map of Memmingen (Mapp. XI, 472 qh), depicting the city’s situation at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, concludes the collection of seventeenth-century Bavarian city maps.

During the eighteenth century, maps were made of the imperial cities of Augsburg, Nuremberg and Ratisbon, in addition to Munich. Most of the maps came from the Augsburg workshop of the engraver Matthäus Seutter (1648–1757), who published them in diverse atlases. In addition, a map of Eichstätt and the surrounding hinterland (Mapp. XI, 419 g), created by the architect and director of construction Maurizio Pedetti (1719–1799) in 1796, should be mentioned. Based on precise measurements, he managed an excellent reproduction of the terrain for this period. Of great rarity is the city map of Nördlingen (Mapp. XI, 481 b), drawn up by Johann Müller in 1805, which can so far only be found in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

Until 1800, city maps were often bird’s-eye views and perspectival maps, often illustrated with cartouches and coats of arms. From the nineteenth century onwards though, classical ground plans dominated. Given the further development of surveying techniques, these plans became increasingly precise and the design more sober. Cadastral and town maps which became of great importance not only depicted the metropolises, but also all the other important towns and villages, sometimes up to a scale of 1:5,000 and 1:2,500 respectively. To be mentioned here are a city map of Munich (1806) (Mapp. XI, 443) and the Topografischer Atlas von München (Topographic Atlas of Munich) by Gustav Wenng (1814–1880) of 1858. Next to copper and steel engravings by now lithography became increasingly used as printing technique. Many of the plans were supplements to reference books and travel guides.

• All "Maps of Bavarian Cities" available in bavarikon

Multi-part "Maps of Bavarian Cities" available

• Cadastre of Council Tax in Munich, 1855-1881
• Munich, Recording of Council Tax Cadastre 1:5000, 1810
• Royal Bavarian Capital and Residence City of Munich in 1814
• Royal Bavarian Capital and Residence City of Munich in 1833
• Street Map of the Royal Bavarian University City of Erlangen in 1886
• Street Map of the Royal Bavarian University City of Erlangen in 1897

The other part collections of "Maps and Plans from the holdings of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek" available in bavarikon

• Sets of Topographic Maps
• Topographic Maps
• Atlases
• Maps on Traffic and Travelling
• Miltary Maps
• Maps concerning Church and Religion
• Maps concerning History and Administration
• Hydrological Maps
• Maps of the Upper Palatinate
• Maps of Upper Franconia
• Maps of Central Franconia
• Maps of Lower Franconia
• Maps of Swabia
• Maps of Lower Bavaria
• Maps of Upper Bavaria
• Maps of the Palatinate
• Maps on Geology

>> This collection is part of the holdings of "Maps and Plan from the Holdings the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek" (Bavarian State Library).

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