{"product_id":"ancient-city-map-of-basel-1638","title":"Ancient city map of Basel, 1638","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBasilea\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e is a magnificent bird's-eye view of the historic city of \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBasel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, engraved by the celebrated Swiss-German cartographer and publisher \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eMatthäus Merian the Elder\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and published in 1638 as part of his monumental \u003cem\u003eTopographia Germaniae\u003c\/em\u003e. Renowned for its extraordinary detail and artistic excellence, the series remains one of the most important topographical publications of the seventeenth century, preserving accurate visual records of Europe's principal cities during the early modern period.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSituated on the banks of the Rhine River at the crossroads of present-day Switzerland, France, and Germany, Basel had long been a center of commerce, scholarship, and culture. Founded as a Roman settlement, the city flourished throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, becoming home to the prestigious \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eUniversity of Basel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, established in 1460 and recognized as Switzerland's oldest university. By the seventeenth century, Basel had also become one of Europe's leading centers for printing and publishing, attracting scholars, theologians, and artists from across the continent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMerian's panoramic engraving captures the city from an elevated perspective, revealing its extensive medieval fortifications, defensive towers, bridges, churches, and tightly arranged streets enclosed within protective walls. Dominating the skyline is the magnificent \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBasel Minster\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, whose distinctive twin towers overlook the Rhine and serve as the city's most recognizable landmark. Also visible are the historic bridges crossing the river, public squares, monasteries, civic buildings, and the surrounding agricultural landscape that supported Basel's thriving economy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe engraving demonstrates Merian's remarkable precision, with every street, bastion, and architectural feature rendered in exquisite detail. Based on careful observation and contemporary surveys, his city views combined artistic elegance with geographical accuracy, making them valuable historical documents as well as decorative works of art. The balanced composition and fine copperplate engraving exemplify the highest standards of seventeenth-century cartography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished during the turbulent years of the Thirty Years' War, \u003cem\u003eBasilea\u003c\/em\u003e depicts a prosperous city that remained an important commercial and intellectual hub despite the political instability affecting much of Central Europe. It provides an invaluable snapshot of Basel before later urban expansion transformed its medieval character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/printsxxl.com\/search?q=Matth%C3%A4us+Merian+\u0026amp;options\" title=\"Find more maps of Matthäus Merian\"\u003eFind more maps of Matthäus Merian\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PrintsXXL","offers":[{"title":"canvas \/ 19''x24''(48x61)","offer_id":53456130113802,"sku":"195487","price":60.69,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"canvas \/ 23''x30''(58x75)","offer_id":53456130146570,"sku":"195487","price":67.83,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"canvas \/ 27''x35''(68x88)","offer_id":53456130179338,"sku":"195487","price":76.16,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"canvas \/ 31''x39''(78x100)","offer_id":53456130212106,"sku":"195487","price":99.96,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"canvas \/ 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