With their cartographically artistic presentation, historical city maps, such as the maps of Dresden in the collection (hand-drawn maps, copperplates, lithographs and other prints) can be especially appealing and enlightening. The selection of digitalized city maps and views from five centuries provides not only an insight into the topographical and urban development during this time period, but also enables us to compare it to the current situation. For users interested in history, the information contained in these maps can lead to a better understanding of the city’s economic and cultural development, as well as helping find answers to questions such as, for example, how this city and formal royal seat managed to expand, despite being surrounded by water and fortification walls.
The chronological arrangement of images and maps makes it possible to trace Dresden’s rapid development. Containing highlights from the 16th to the 20th century, this virtual tour of Dresden offers an introduction to SLUB’s Map Collection.