The fourth volume of Braun and Hogenberg’s ‘Civitates Orbis Terrarum’, published in 1588, contained several views of Jerusalem, the last of which shows an aerial plan of the Holy City. Apparently Braun’s social network did not extend as far as the Levant, since the image was not original, but the work of Dutch theologian and cartographer, Christian van Adrichom.

The detail-drenched plan presents the city “just as it flourished in the time of Christ”, providing an encyclopaedic pictorial account of the history of Jerusalem. Miniature scenes and images are ordered according to their location with no attempt to establish a chronology, with the result that scriptural stories and ancient monuments are shown side by side with European buildings and figures from the sixteenth century.

Across the intricately drawn urban view, 270 monuments, buildings, roads, areas, and events are identified in Latin. The details given on the plan can all be traced to a viable scriptural or historical source, for example, David’s victory over the Philistines at Baal Perazim (I Chron. 11) shown just outside the city’s western wall, and the Palace of Pontius Pilate to the north of Herod’s Temple, where the governor is shown displaying Jesus to the crowds, saying “Behold! A man” (John 19:5).

Braun and Hogenberg made very few changes to the map, with the exception of its orientation: in accordance with cartographic tradition, Adrichom had oriented his view to the east, but it is here shown with north at the top. Unlike many of their less scrupulous colleagues, Braun and Hogenberg have credited Adrichom as the maker of this plan.