Bohemia

The strategic crown land of Bohemia during the 17th century

This beautiful antique map of the Kingdom of Bohemia offers an engaging overview of the important region during the mid-17th century. Near the center of the sheet lies the fortified metropolis of Prague, a jewel in the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor (though the court had since moved to Vienna). Dozens of other outposts, settlements, and industries are labeled throughout the finely engraved image, with a key in the center right identifying the various symbols used. The diversity of town designation and amenities reflects the dense administrative fabric of the HRE. Geographic features like forests and mountains are approximated pictorially, highlighting Bohemia’s formidable natural western boundaries.

The map was published in Amsterdam around 1665 as part of Joan Blaeu’s monumental 11-volume Atlas Maior, sometimes cited as the most expensive book of the 17th century and considered by many to be one of the finest atlases ever published.