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Description

Attractive antique birdseye view of the town of Chartres in France. This Belleforest depiction shows the city as it stood in the late 16th century and originally appeared in Belleforest's Cosmographie Universelle.

The view shows the city of Chartres as seen from the east. This famous city is most well-known for its majestic cathedral, which is located in the center of this image. The cathedral, dating to the 13th century, is famous for its gothic spire and flying buttresses, which can be seen in this image. This view also includes text which indicates important buildings at the base of the image and a coat of arms in the upper left of the map.

The Cosmographie Universelle was a French reprint of Munster's Cosmographie. The publishers Nicolas Chesneau and Michel Sonnius felt that Munster's work, even when published in French, focused too heavily on Germany and thus needed updating for a French audience. The final work would contain 163 plates, only 49 of which were based on Munster's original.

Condition Description
Minor dampstain and associated soiling at top of map, largely confined to blank margin. See-through to verso.