[Magdeburg] Magdeburgum.

Description

Scarce c.17th map of Magdeburg, Germany from the famous series of town views by Braun and Hogenberg.

This state identified by the changes in text within the description of Magdeburg at lower left.

Translation of text at lower left:
Magdeburg was called Parthenopolis (virgin city) after Venus, who was once worshipped here: it is the capital of Saxony, remarkable for its wealth and power and known for its narrow city walls and its proximity to the Elbe.

Braun comments:
Magdeburg […] is the noblest city in Saxony […]. Here there are splendid houses, magificent streets, large and richly decorated churches: the church of St Maurice built by Emperor Otto is particularly handsome. In Magdeburg there used to be a fortified castle surrounded by fishermen’s huts like a village or some other open bourg. There used to be burgraves here as in Nuremberg: whether they were Saxons or Vandals, however, is uncertain. It is known, that after Otto a burgraviate was created by Imperial mandate, and numbered amongst the four burgraves in the empire.” In this plan view seen from a lofty bird’s-eye perspective, Magdeburg – the name is probably derived from ‘Magadoburg” (German for mächtige Burg or “mighty fortress”) – lies on the right bank of the Elbe. The Gothic cathedral of SS Maurice and Catherine is clearly recognizable on the right (Der Dom). Further left is the ensemble of St John’s church, where Martin Luther preached in 1524, and the town hall overlooking the Alter Markt, the old market square on which it is also possible to make out the famous equestrian statue of the Magdeburg Knight and a Magdeburg Roland statue. (Taschen)

Following the original publication of the Civitates;

Vol.1, first issued in  1572, seven further editions; 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1612 can be identified.
Vol.2, first issued in 1575, and in 1597, 1612.
The next volumes appeared in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599 and 1606.
German edition of the Vol.1, First appeared from 1574
French edition from 1575 on.