Frankfort, Germany: A 16th Century Hand-Colored Map by Braun & Hogenberg, 1595

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This is a 16th century original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Frankfort, Germany entitled "Francenbergum, vel ut alij Francoburgum Hassiae … Read more This is a 16th century original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Frankfort, Germany entitled "Francenbergum, vel ut alij Francoburgum Hassiae Opp" by Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg, from their famous city atlas "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", published in Cologne, Germany in 1595.

This is an English translation of an excerpt from the original text in the atlas:
"Frankenberg or, according to others, Francoburgum, a town in Hesse. Charlemagne vested the town of Frankenberg with many freedoms and privileges, which it still enjoys to this day, and on account of its valiant and victorious soldiers awarded a signet, upon which there formerly appeared a golden castle with a tower, together with the letter F and a golden crown.

Frankenberg, seen here from the northeast, lies on a hill above the River Eder. The hillside is covered with fields neatly separated by bushes and fences. Soaring above the town is the massive Liebfrauenkirche, which was modelled on St Elizabeth's church in Marburg. The New Town was founded in 1335 at the foot of the hill (right) and merged with the Old Town as late as 1556. Frankenberg was founded by Conrad of Thuringia in 1233/34 to prevent the archbishops of Mainz from expanding their sphere of influence in the region. The town quickly developed into a bustling centre of trade and commerce."

This striking hand-colored city view is printed on laid, chain-linked paper with wide margins. The sheet measures 14.75" high by 21.75" wide. There is a central vertical fold as issued and Latin text on the verso. There is mild discoloration in the margins and a small chip at the lower edge of the left margin. There is a thin hinge remnant on the verso at the upper edge near each corner. The map is otherwise in very good to excellent condition. See less