* Detail including the Chiemsee from the 24 Baierische Landtafeln, maps of Bavaria, created by Philipp Apian (1568)
In the 16th century the number of maps available in Bavaria was very modest. This was changed by Duke Albrecht V by commissioning the young mathematics professor Philipp Apian in 1554: Apian was to survey his duchy – and he should always be remembered for this work.
For seven summers – the winters being left out by the surveying team – Apian and his companions travelled throughout Bavaria on foot and by horse and systematically established surveying points. He noted the places, bridges and rivers, farmsteads, lakes and castles they came across. His work was completed in 1563: Apian had drawn up a map of the Duchy of Bavaria measuring around 5 x 5 metres and having a scale that was expedient for adding detail. One centimetre on the map corresponded to 450 metres. What's more, with regard to illustrations, Apian went beyond the cartographically required information: There are also animals, such as chamois bucks, or fishing boats and historical events (such as battles).
The image shows sheet 19 from the Baierische Landtafeln by Philipp Apian (call number Hbks/F 15).
The map was published in 1568 and has a total size of 156 x 159 cm.
Based on the "large map", a unique piece that was dedicated to the duke and kept in the ducal library of the Residence in Munich, Apian practically had a "paperback edition" of the "large map" produced five years later. He scaled down the large map of Bavaria, subdivided it into 24 partial maps, the Baierische Landtafeln, and had wood engravings produced of them. The Chiemsee is shown here, forming part of the Landtafel 19. Besides, this map had a larger scale: 1 centimetre on the map now corresponded to almost 1,500 metres. However, this had the advantage that the smaller maps could now be copied by means of the wood engravings produced and could be sold as maps which were easier to handle. For more than 200 years, the Baierische Landtafeln were considered as the official cartography of Bavaria. They were also used by Napoleon for invading Bavaria in his military campaigns around 1800.
- Would you like to zoom into or download the map of the Chiemsee and its surroundings?
- Would you like to browse all 24 maps?
- How about looking over Apian's shoulder? This is a view of his notes.
- Apian also created other works, such as a terrestrial globe. It has been scanned in 3D and can be viewed from all sides in the cultural portal bavarikon. Give it a go!