Original scientific paper
Dubrovnik and the Old Republic of Dubrovnik on old Geographical Charts
Mirko Marković
; Etnološki zavod HAZU, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Dubrovnik littoral can be found on some of the oldest known cartographical works dating from ancient times. The Ptolomeus Chart Illirica or the Tabula Peutingeriana show the southern coastal area including Epidaurus and the smaller settlement Lausinio, the place for which the tzar Constantin claimed to have preceded the medieval Dubrovnik.
In the Middle Ages (1154) Dubrovnik was marked on the Idrisian chart of the Mediterranean, as well as in his »geography«, a glossary to the chart. Idrisi mentions Dubrovnik as the most prominent on the south of Croatia. Further progress has been made in a more detailed maritime geographical chart of the Dubrovnik littoral. Chart authors such as P. Vesconte, A. Dalorto and G. Benincasa give way to a more realistic cartographic approach of the area lavishly registering geographical names of the time. The first truly detailed map of Dubrovnik originates from the Isolar F. Camotius dating 1572. It was in a form of a perspective vedute drawn out by Božo Bonifačić (Natal Bonifacius), a Croatian cartographer born in Šibenik. He also did a similar work for Rosacci's travel accounts from Venice to Constantinople printed in 1598. Dubrovnik appeared on several cartographical works from the 17th century.
There are numerous maps showing Dubrovnik after the 1667 earthquake. By the end of the 17th century Italian cartographers G. Cantelli and V. Coronelli contributed to further geographical knowledge of the Dubrovnik region with their maps of Dalmatia.
The Republic boundaries were presented in great detail giving the maps considerable documental value. With the following century even more maps of the area appeared. The manuscripts charts were highly valuable registering even the smallest topographic details. The manuscript chart by Mijo Pešić, the Dubrovnik monk must be mentioned for its documental significance and as well as the city map of Dubrovnik from the Vienna War Archive drawn out in 1783 in scale 1:14000. Every single house was registered which enabled precise urban development of the town. In the 19th century a complete topographic measurement of the whole Dubrovnik area was carried out. Soon after, the first topographic maps were published. Cross-sections of the Dubrovnik surroundings were printed in scale 1:144000, and later 1:75000 and 1:25000. That was the point where a new era in geographical study of Dubrovnik began.
Keywords
maps; Dubrovnik; Dubrovnik Republic
Hrčak ID:
240932
URI
Publication date:
30.6.1991.
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