Chartres and Chateaudun – Braun & Hogenberg Antique Map

This map is a double city view from Civitates Orbis Terrarum, showing the towns of Chartres (left) and Châteaudun (right), both located in the historical province of Beauce in northern France. These richly detailed bird’s-eye views, engraved in the early 17th century, reflect Braun and Hogenberg’s characteristic style: a combination of geometric urban layout, architectural elevation, and artistic embellishment.

Left Panel: Chartres (CHARTRES)

The map is titled: “Autricum, Ptolemaeo in Gallia Lugdunensis Urbs vulgo cum Villa nova, CHARTRES.”
- This links the town to its Roman name Autricum, an important city in the ancient territory of the Carnutes.
Chartres Cathedral (La grande eglise) dominates the cityscape — a Gothic masterpiece still famous today.
The city is densely packed within medieval walls and features clear streets, towers, and ecclesiastical buildings.
Orchards and farmland extend outside the walls, suggesting Chartres’ economic reliance on agriculture.
In the bottom left corner, two finely dressed figures in early 17th-century fashion are shown, a typical flourish in the Civitates atlas to indicate regional costume.

Right Panel: Châteaudun (CHASTEAVDUNUM)

Labeled: “Chasteaudunum, Comitatus vulgo Dunoys in Gallia Oppidum primarium.”
- This identifies Châteaudun as the chief town of the County of Dunois, an important feudal region.
The layout is more geometric than Chartres, featuring broad, gridded streets and civic spaces.
Fortified walls enclose the town, with towers and gates clearly depicted.
Several churches are labeled, including S. Valerian, S. Pierre, and La grande Eglise.
At top right, the Château de Châteaudun rises prominently on a rocky promontory, marking the town’s strategic military importance.

Dimensions; 53.5 x 39.5 cm.
Condition: Browning and light spotting of sheet as shown. Some loss of paper and browning in the center.

Civitates orbis terrarum

Mapmaker: Georg Braun

Date of Publication: Between 1572 and 1617
Engraver: Frans Hogenberg

Braun & Hogenberg’s Civitates Orbis Terrarum (“Cities of the World”) is a monumental six-volume atlas of urban topography compiled between 1572 and 1617. Conceived as a companion to Ortelius’s Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, it was the first comprehensive printed collection of city views and maps ever produced. The work provides a rich visual record of over 500 cities from across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas during the late Renaissance, featuring detailed bird’s-eye views, cartouches, and depictions of local inhabitants, architecture, and dress. It reflects not only geographical interest but also the growing civic pride and commercial importance of cities in the early modern period.

Georg Braun (1541–1622), a cleric and scholar from Cologne, served as the principal editor and driving force behind the Civitates. He compiled texts for the city descriptions and coordinated contributions from a wide network of cartographers and artists. His aim was both didactic and celebratory: to showcase the beauty and significance of cities around the known world.

Frans Hogenberg (c. 1535–1590), a Flemish engraver and mapmaker, was responsible for many of the atlas’s intricate engravings. He had previously collaborated with Abraham Ortelius and brought both technical skill and artistic flair to the project. Hogenberg’s meticulous visual style was essential in defining the distinctive look of the Civitates plates.

Together, Braun and Hogenberg created a work that remains an invaluable source for historians, urban scholars, and collectors today.

See more Maps from Civitates orbis terrarum

Translation of the texts:

CHARTRES

To the west of Paris lies a region once inhabited by Gallic philosophers, called Druids, also known as the Carnutes. This region, now called Chartres, was vast and fertile, full of towns, villages, and plentiful resources. Among the most notable was Autricum, referred to by Caesar, which is today’s Chartres, known in Latin as Carnutum.

The Greek name sophōn chōra means “land of the wise”, referring to the abundance of wisdom this region was thought to possess. The Druids, or wise men of the Gauls, lived here, and it was believed they conducted their teachings and philosophical gatherings under shady trees and sacred groves. Thus, the region became known for its abundance of trees and wooded land.

This city of the Gauls had many buildings, including forums and other public places. It was governed by the Druids and had religious significance. In ancient times, the region also had the power of capital punishment; certain criminals were imprisoned and executed here, and some sources claim that this was the origin of the name Chartres — as if derived from “carcer” (prison). Though some reject this explanation.

The Carnutes’ land is fertile and well-watered, filled with grain and fruit, and is excellent for both cultivation and habitation. Nearby is the Eure River, which flows through much of the region and into the Loire.

The city of Chartres is especially notable for its ecclesiastical history. It was one of the earliest bishoprics in Gaul. Its bishop held not only spiritual authority but also secular power over a large territory. Among its earliest and most revered bishops was Saint Lubinus, the sixth bishop, and later Saint Gancellinus, known for his sanctity and miracles. He is said to have dedicated a church to the Virgin Mary, which later became richly endowed and famous for miracles.

Gancellinus is said to have been appointed by Charles the Bald, and later the bishopric was confirmed by Charles the Bald’s successor. After the Norman invasions, when the city suffered, it was rebuilt and restored, and became once again a center of Christian piety and Marian devotion.

There is also a famous procession in honor of the Virgin, still held annually in the meadows outside the city, a tradition said to have originated with Rollon, the first Christian Norman ruler, who made a vow to honor the Virgin if he were victorious in battle. Over time, this city, once nearly destroyed, was adorned with churches, enriched by kings, and made glorious by religion, miracles, and learning.

CHÂTEAUDUN

The region of Dunois in France includes Châteaudun, formerly called Castrodunum or Rubricara, meaning something like “bright castle.” This name came from its setting atop a high rock, easily visible and very defensible. It lies near the Loire and on the road from Beauce to Tours, serving as a key stronghold against foreign attacks.

The city is fortified and notable for its castle, which dominates the landscape and is both beautiful and strong. It also features a collegiate church and a number of other religious houses. It is believed that Saint Lubinus (also connected to Chartres) was active here as well.

The town has long been known for its religious life, commerce, and military importance. It was particularly strengthened and expanded under King Charles the Great (Charlemagne) and subsequent rulers. Its churches, including Saint Peter’s and Saint Lubin’s, are richly endowed and splendidly built. Nearby, parishes and villages were also brought under its ecclesiastical and civic administration.

Over time, many events shaped the city — sieges, fires, rebuilding efforts — but it has continued to flourish. Even in the most recent wars, it was attacked and damaged, but subsequently rebuilt with even greater beauty. Its citizens are industrious, and its markets and fairs are known in the region.

The city is surrounded by walls and gates, and is laid out with broad streets and beautiful public spaces. It is a city of significance not only for its past but also for its promising future.