A beautifully illustrated history of the world's most celebrated historical city maps, from the hubs of ancient civilization to sprawling modern mega-cities, created in association with the Smithsonian Institution.Great City Maps explores and explains 30 of the world's greatest historical city maps, providing a captivating overview of cartography through the ages. The book's unrivaled reproduction of these fascinating and intricate documents provides graphic close-ups and reveals more than just pure geography--it offers insight into the cultures and beliefs of the great civilizations that gave rise to them. From classical cities like Rome and Jerusalem to modern hubs like New York and Tokyo, the stories behind each map are revealed: why it was created, who it was intended for, and how it was achieved. Profiles of key cartographers, planners, and artists give even further insight into the history of each urban masterpiece.With its genuinely unique and superbly illustrated approach to the most celebrated city maps in history and its lavish textured and foiled jacket, Great City Maps is a beautiful piece to add to any collection and a must-have for all history and geography enthusiasts.
Journey back in time and take a walk through the historic streets of the world's greatest cities. Great City Maps is the companion title to DK's Great Maps and takes a focused look at over 70 gorgeously illustrated historical maps and plans of cities around the globe. Dive into the details of each beautiful map and learn about interesting features with visual tours of the maps' highlights - such as the Old London Bridge of London in 1572 and the orchards of Brooklyn in 1767 New York. Cities are centers of civilization and the way their maps portray them reflects their politics, religion, and culture. See how certain cities, and cartographic techniques, changed over time. More than just a bird's-eye view, this irresistible book tells the tales behind the cities from the hubs of ancient peoples to modern mega-cities, and profiles the iconic cartographers and artists who created each map. Perfect for history, geography, and cartography enthusiasts and a stunning gift for armchair explorers of all ages, Great City Maps is your window into the world's most fascinating cities.
Journey back in time and take a walk through the historic streets of the world's greatest cities. Great City Maps is the companion title to DK's Great Maps and takes a focused look at over 70 gorgeou