SANDOMIERZ COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "Although it lies in Lesser Poland and is not very big, the town of Sandomierz is considered to be one of the finest because of its splendid place. [...] It lies 22 miles from Cracow on a hill beside the Vistula. Despite its favorable position the town is fortified with a strong wall. It is crowned by a stone castle." This neat view shows the town on a hill at a crossing point over the River Vistula. It was named after the River San, which flows here into the Vistula. The towering cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary dominates the plate and the palace can be identified at the centre. Sandomierz was founded in 1236 by the Piast rulers, destroyed in the 12th century by the Tartars, then rebuilt by Casimir I. In the 14th century it was surrounded by mighty fortifications. As sedes regni principales it was the seat of the princes and a royal residence. The trade routes that passed here brought prosperity to the town. It flourished in the 15th/16th centuries as a centre of cloth weaving. The Old Town is one of the best preserved in Poland. BIECZ COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "This little town is also in Lesser Poland, 15 miles from Cracow towards the Hungarian border, on the River Ropa, which has the strange but wonderful property that sulphur can be made out of its foam. It has its own castellan or warden who sits in the regional council of Cracow." This is a view from the south of Biecz on the River Ropa, west of Krosno in southeast Poland. The detailed drawing of the fortifications constrasts markedly with the schematic representation and arrangement of the town houses, which in no way suggests that the town was sometimes referred to as "Little Cracow". The marketplace is dominated by the town hall dating from the 15th/16th centuries, with its mighty tower. The church of Corpus Christi (3) which is considered to be one of the finest late Gothic churches in Lesser Poland, can be identified on the left. Biecz was granted a municipal charter in 1303; it developed rapidly due to its favourable position on trade routes and became a centre of long-distance trade with Hungary. (Taschen)

Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.

The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, also known as 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, a skilled writer, wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572 and the sixth in 1617. Frans Hogenberg, a talented engraver, 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, who provided valuable geographical information. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used as references. Translations appeared in German and French, making the atlas accessible to a wider audience.

Since its original publication of volume 1 in 1572, the Civitates Orbis Terrarum has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography. The first volume was followed by seven more editions in 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1612. Vol.2, initially released in 1575, saw subsequent editions in 1597 and 1612. The subsequent volumes, each a treasure trove of historical insights, graced the world in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1606. The German translation of the first volume, a testament to its widespread appeal, debuted in 1574, followed by the French edition in 1575.

Several printers were involved: Theodor Graminaeus, Heinrich von Aich, Gottfried von Kempen, Johannis Sinniger, Bertram Buchholtz, and Peter von Brachel, all of whom worked in Cologne.

Georg Braun (1541-1622)

Georg Braun, the author of the text accompanying the plans and views in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice, indicating his commitment to learning and intellectual pursuits. In 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree; in 1562, he received his Magister Artium, further demonstrating his academic achievements. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he continued his studies in theology, gaining a licentiate in theology. His theological background likely influenced the content and tone of the text in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, adding a unique perspective to the work.

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.