Wien (Vienna), by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg. 1617-18
COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "But the city of Vienna is not only the capital of the whole noble country of Austria but also a strong bulwark of all Christendom, situated at the confluence of the Wien River and the Danube. [...] Little is known for certain about its beginnings. Many believe that Henry I, Duke of Austria, [...] endowed the Abbey of the Scots and laid the foundation stone of the splendid church of St Stephen, whose tower, however, was completed only in 1400. In the whole of Germany, no other city can be compared with this one in respect of the handsomeness of its buildings and houses, the strength of its fortifications, walls and moats, and the wealth and abundance of its everyday life."
In the present plate, the 136-m-tall free-standing south tower of St Stephen's cathedral rises above all other buildings. This 13th-century late Romanesque building was almost entirely rebuilt in the Gothic style in the two succeeding centuries. On the left, next to the cathedral, is the Old Hofburg palace, the residence of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire from 1438 onwards. In the second half of the 12th century, Vienna developed into the home of the Duchy of Austria and a city wall was built around it at the beginning of the 13th century. In 1221 Vienna was granted a municipal charter, the university was founded in 1365, and the city became an episcopal see in 1469. In the 15th century, trade declined, but the city's position as the residence of the Holy Roman Empire was able to compensate for the commercial losses. After the Siege of Vienna by the Ottoman army in 1529, the city's fortifications were rebuilt. The new fortifications, highly praised by Braun, resisted another Turkish siege before the Battle of Vienna in 1683. (Taschen)
Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.
The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, or the "Braun & Hogenberg", is a six-volume town atlas and the most excellent book of town views and plans ever published: 363 engravings, sometimes beautifully coloured. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572, and the sixth in 1617. Frans Hogenberg created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel made those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were cartographers Daniel Freese and Heinrich Rantzau. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used. Translations appeared in German and French.
Following the original publication of Volume 1 of the Civitates in 1572, seven further editions of 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1612 can be identified. Vol.2, first issued in 1575, was followed by further editions in 1597 and 1612. The subsequent volumes appeared in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1606. The German translation of the first volume appeared from 1574 on, and the French edition from 1575 on.
Several printers were involved: Theodor Graminaeus, Heinrich von Aich, Gottfried von Kempen, Johannis Sinniger, Bertram Buchholtz and Peter von Brachel, who all worked in Cologne.
Georg Braun (1541-1622)
Georg Braun was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice. 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree, and in 1562, he received his Magister Artium. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he studied theology, gaining a licentiate in theology.
Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590)
Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.
By the end of the 1560s, Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named an engraver of numerous maps. In 1568, he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates, published in 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.
Thanks to large-scale projects like the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.
Vienna Austriae.
Item Number: 23426 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > Austria
Antique map - Bird's-eye view of Vienna by Braun and Hogenberg, with key to 85 locations.
Date of the first edition: 1617
Date of this map: 1618
Copper engraving
Size: 31.5 x 48.5cm (12.3 x 18.9 inches)
Verso text: Latin
Condition: Excellent, nice old colour.
Condition Rating: A
References: Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p455.
From: Theatri praecipuarum Totius Mundi Urbium Liber Sextus Anno MDCXVIII. (Van der Krogt 4, 41:1.6)
COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "But the city of Vienna is not only the capital of the whole noble country of Austria but also a strong bulwark of all Christendom, situated at the confluence of the Wien River and the Danube. [...] Little is known for certain about its beginnings. Many believe that Henry I, Duke of Austria, [...] endowed the Abbey of the Scots and laid the foundation stone of the splendid church of St Stephen, whose tower, however, was completed only in 1400. In the whole of Germany, no other city can be compared with this one in respect of the handsomeness of its buildings and houses, the strength of its fortifications, walls and moats, and the wealth and abundance of its everyday life."
In the present plate, the 136-m-tall free-standing south tower of St Stephen's cathedral rises above all other buildings. This 13th-century late Romanesque building was almost entirely rebuilt in the Gothic style in the two succeeding centuries. On the left, next to the cathedral, is the Old Hofburg palace, the residence of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire from 1438 onwards. In the second half of the 12th century, Vienna developed into the home of the Duchy of Austria and a city wall was built around it at the beginning of the 13th century. In 1221 Vienna was granted a municipal charter, the university was founded in 1365, and the city became an episcopal see in 1469. In the 15th century, trade declined, but the city's position as the residence of the Holy Roman Empire was able to compensate for the commercial losses. After the Siege of Vienna by the Ottoman army in 1529, the city's fortifications were rebuilt. The new fortifications, highly praised by Braun, resisted another Turkish siege before the Battle of Vienna in 1683. (Taschen)
Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.
The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, or the "Braun & Hogenberg", is a six-volume town atlas and the most excellent book of town views and plans ever published: 363 engravings, sometimes beautifully coloured. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572, and the sixth in 1617. Frans Hogenberg created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel made those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were cartographers Daniel Freese and Heinrich Rantzau. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used. Translations appeared in German and French.
Following the original publication of Volume 1 of the Civitates in 1572, seven further editions of 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1612 can be identified. Vol.2, first issued in 1575, was followed by further editions in 1597 and 1612. The subsequent volumes appeared in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1606. The German translation of the first volume appeared from 1574 on, and the French edition from 1575 on.
Several printers were involved: Theodor Graminaeus, Heinrich von Aich, Gottfried von Kempen, Johannis Sinniger, Bertram Buchholtz and Peter von Brachel, who all worked in Cologne.
Georg Braun (1541-1622)
Georg Braun was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice. 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree, and in 1562, he received his Magister Artium. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he studied theology, gaining a licentiate in theology.
Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590)
Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.
By the end of the 1560s, Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named an engraver of numerous maps. In 1568, he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates, published in 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.
Thanks to large-scale projects like the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.