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Vasilii Piadyshev's map of Kherson Governorate, featured in his Geograficheskii atlas Rossiiskoi imperii, tsarstva Pol'skogo i velikogo kniazhestva Finliandskogo (Geographic Atlas of the Russian Empire, Kingdom of Poland, and the Grand Duchy of Finland), offers a comprehensive view of the Kherson Province's landscape and socio-economic state during this period.
Constructed by Russian military cartographers in the early 19th century, the map details population clusters separated into six categories, allowing for a thorough understanding of the settlements' dispersion throughout the Kherson Governorate.
Transportation is a central feature of the map, with four distinct types of roads thoroughly delineated. These classifications not only demonstrate the extensive transport network but also provide insights into the province's level of connectivity during this era. Additionally, the map clearly demarcates the borders of provinces and districts, offering a glimpse into the administrative divisions within the Kherson Governorate.
Beyond the geopolitical layout, the map marks the locations of monasteries, factories, auberges (inns), douane (custom houses), and post stations. This conveys the areas of religious, industrial, and commercial activity and allows for a greater understanding of the socio-economic dynamics of the time.
Distances on the map are provided in versts, a traditional Russian unit of measurement, reflecting the cultural and historical context of the map's construction. Furthermore, postal routes and major travel roads are meticulously depicted, including the indication of stations and the distance between them. This points to the Governorate's communication and transportation infrastructure during the period.
Piadyshev was the cartographer at the Military-Topographical Depot of His Imperial Majesty's General Staff, during the production of the first systematic survey or Russia, with maps published between 1820 and 1827.
Piadyshev's Geograficheskii atlas Rossiiskoi imperii, tsarstva Pol'skogo i velikogo kniazhestva Finliandskogo (Geographical Atlas of the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Poland, and the Grand Duchy of Finland . . . ) was the first atlas of its kind - both comprehensive and accurate - depicting an empire that stretched from the Vistula River to the Pacific Ocean. It is credited to Col. Vasilii Petrovich Piadyshev (1768-1835), who served with distinction in the Military-Topographical Depot of His Majesty's General Staff. The sheets were published between 1820 and 1827; the work underwent revision in 1828-1829 and was reprinted in 1834. The atlas is composed of 60 maps, including a general map of the empire.
Curiously, the atlas is not constructed on a consistent scale and does not use the same projection on all maps. Each sheet describes administrative boundaries, rivers, roads, urban and rural settlements, and a variety of other details. Distances are in versts (1 verst = 1.07 kilometer). On each sheet, placenames are rendered in Russian and in French transliteration.
The atlas reflects the detailed mapping carried out by Russian military cartographers in the first quarter of the 19th century. The map shows population centers (five gradations by size), fortresses, redoubts, roads (four types), provincial and district borders, plants, and factories. Distances are shown in versts, a Russian measure, now no longer used, equal to 1.07 kilometers. Legends and place-names are in Russian and French.
The atlas underwent revision in 1828-1829, and was reprinted in 1834.
![Charte der Österreichischen Monarchie, nach den letzten Friedensschlüssen berichtigt. [Map of the Austrian Monarchy, corrected according to the latest peace treaties.]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/102892.jpg)
