Georg Braun (1540 or 1541–1622) and Frans Hogenberg (ca 1539–1590)
Civitates orbis terrarum
Cologne, 1572–1617

The first great atlas of cities, this immense six-volume undertaking contains nearly 550 views and maps of cities around the world. Naturally focused primarily on European cities, it includes a few cities in Asia and Africa and only two in the New World, Mexico City and Cuzco. Cuzco is described in the text as ‘a city so large, beautiful and powerful that it can easily rank alongside the most important cities of Spain and France’. The plates are a treasure house of detail for historians, including information on costume, agriculture, architecture and local events in every city depicted.

Atlas.4.57.2, pp. 59 1 and 2 (Royal Library