City map

A map is a Large scale thematic map of a city (or part of a city ) for the purpose of rapid and convenient orientation in an urban space. The representation is, therefore, mostly graphically simplified and reduced to understandable signatures. Depending on the target group a map next to the transport network also includes other important information - such as sights or public institutions.

The content and design

The scale range of Maps usually is 000th density downtown areas are partially drawn in larger scales on separate detailed maps from 1:10 000 to 1:25. In addition to the true to scale, there are also maps with variable scale, where the scale increases towards the city center ( fish-eye projection).

Central Information of the city plan is the road network with street names ( often supplemented by individual house numbers ), the buildings, green spaces and water. Streets and places of interest are usually also listed in a register which locates objects over a search grid in the map. Important points such as administrative buildings, cultural venues, attractions, etc., are highlighted using pictorial icons. The map is complemented by the presentation of public transport and rail transport.

History

Ancient Near East

Already in the ancient Near East made ​​clay tablets with you to scale, cartographic representations of cities. Excavations of the Sumerian city of Nippur brought a fragment of about 3500 year old map of Nippur days, which is sometimes referred to as the oldest known map. The clay tablet shows the temple of Enlil, a city park, the city wall with gates and a channel and the river Euphrates. The individual objects of the plan have already been labeled here in Sumerian cuneiform.

Roman Architecture

Under the Emperor Septimius Severus Forma Urbis Romae the ( FUR) or Forma Urbis marmorea was 203-211 AD created a monumental, made out of marble plan of the city of Rome, which was attached to an inner wall of the Templum Pacis. Today, he is an important witness to the topography of ancient Rome.

City Tours of the late Middle Ages

In manuscripts and early printed books of the late Middle Ages we find cities often in the profile or ready viewed from a high vantage point. Also on charts of that time are sometimes stylized cityscapes drawn pictogram -like - for example in Cristoforo Buondelmontis Liber insularum Archipelagi (Book of Islands) from the year 1422.

The 1493 first published in Nuremberg Chronicle ( Nuremberg Chronicle ), with over one hundred views of one of the most important examples of city representations of the late Middle Ages. However panoramas like this or that in Bernard of Breydenbach travelogue of 1483 had more narrative or representative functions. Were illustrated in the local conditions and essential features - such as ports, magnificent buildings, walls, etc. - as a backdrop for historical descriptions or highlighting the economic advantages of the city. On the other hand, accuracy less attention has been given: in the Schedel 's World Chronicle corresponded to only a quarter of the city views the actual appearance, partially used one even individual pictures for multiple cities at one time.

Development of perspective drawing and printing techniques in the Renaissance

In the 16th century the artists and scholars of the Renaissance gained extensive knowledge of mathematical perspectives and projections, which also had an impact on the work of cartographers and creating cityscapes (especially first in Italy ). A key innovation was that you now the city is no longer simply a portrait of an imaginary or real perspective, but first anfertigte a two-dimensional map of the city and then followed by accurate perspective drawing into a three dimensional image. An early example of a geometrically accurate and highly-detailed work of this kind is the city view you created in 1500 by Jacopo de ' Barbari Venice.

Were the illustrations of the late Middle Ages mostly still simple small-scale woodcuts, spread from 1500 increasingly method for printing giant woodcuts and color woodcuts. Jacopo de ' Barbari plan of Venice had already a considerable size of 139 x 282 cm and consisted of six individual wooden panels. From the mid- 16th century, then the engraving sat from Antwerp against the woodcut by and allowed much finer and more detailed representations.

19th century

The modern map got its importance with the emergence of large cities, as it was necessary for city dwellers and travelers to get a guide. The map thus became the " navigation tool for a wide audience ." The form for the medium map is changed. Are created icons for easier orientation, folds and formats are adapted to the ease of use in urban space. "Until 1900 the map has developed into a mass medium. " ( Christina Schumacher )

Production

Printed maps usually have a handy card format with a special fold, so that the card on confined spaces practical. Lately, there are also electronic maps for mobile phones or portable computers, which are optionally equipped with a positioning and target on satellite navigation.

Europe 's largest manufacturer of Maps MairDumont the publishing group, with its map - brands Falk and ADAC. In addition to sales by the publishers, national, there are also maps that are free (or ad-supported ) distributed across municipalities or banks.

To protect against unauthorized duplication maps are ( German about: Fall road ) from the card manufacturers often called Trap Streets shown as plagiarism case.