Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg 

Hierosolyma, Clarissima Totius Orientis Civitas, Judae Metropolis (Holy Land) 

Civitates Orbis Terrarum 

c. 1572 

Engraving with hand-coloring. 

Sheet size: 16 3/8 x 21 1/4 in. 

A finely detailed and historically significant view of Jerusalem by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg, from their celebrated Civitates Orbis Terrarum, the landmark six-volume atlas of cities published between 1572 and 1617. Titled Hierosolyma, Clarissima Totius Orientis Civitas, Judae Metropolis (“Jerusalem, the Most Famous City of the Entire East, Metropolis of Judea”), the work presents the Holy City as a place of profound religious, historical, and cultural importance. The carefully engraved architectural details, fortified walls, gates, streets, and prominent sacred sites reflect the Renaissance European vision of Jerusalem, drawing upon biblical tradition and contemporary geographical understanding. The original hand-coloring enhances the engraving’s visual richness, lending distinction to its architectural features and overall composition.

The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, conceived by Georg Braun, a German cleric and scholar, and illustrated largely through the work of Frans Hogenberg, a Flemish engraver, was the first systematic printed collection devoted to views of cities around the world. Published in Cologne over several decades, the monumental work comprised approximately 530 city views and maps, depicting urban centers across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Created in an era of expanding trade, travel, and geographical discovery, the atlas offered readers an unprecedented visual survey of the world's most notable cities, combining topographical information with architectural detail and historical context. Many views were based on earlier drawings, maps, and eyewitness accounts, while elaborate borders, figures, and surrounding landscapes enriched the presentation. Jerusalem held a particularly prominent place within the collection because of its central importance to Judaism, Christianity, and the biblical narrative.

An evocative example of early modern cartography, this historic work offers a compelling glimpse into sixteenth-century perceptions of Jerusalem and the enduring fascination with the spiritual heart of the Holy Land. As part of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, it also represents an important milestone in the development of printed urban views and the European tradition of documenting cities through illustrated geography.