EUROPE, general map, engraving in colour, 1637

This is a General map of Europe, richly illustrated with panoramas of European cities of Lisbon, Toledo, London, Paris, Rome and Venice and with illustrations of the most important European nations.

The Cartographic Collection in the Croatian State Archives  has been created by the regular transfer of the records, purchase, donation or separation from individual archival fonds. The collection currently has 4600 processed and analytically described cartographic items. It holds a total of 50 atlases and 4550 maps and plans. A cartographic item can comprise of one or more pages when it comes to atlases. The maps in the collection are processed in accordance with the International Standard Biographic Description for Cartographic Materials – ISBD (CM) and are described according to the type of maps: general, topographic, cadastral, maritime, bathymetric, forester's, plant-geographical, geological, geomorphological, seismological, pedological, hydrological, climatological, wartime, military-didactical, historical, archaeological, traffic, aeronautical, postal, kilometrical, demographical, ethnographical, lingual, economic, tourist, mountainous, administrative, political maps, demarcation maps, settlements plans, property plans and other maps (astronomical, trigonometrical, medicinal)

Archive reference code and name: HR-HDA-902, Croatian State Archives

THE LIKA REGIMENT – forestry map, manuscript in colour, 1764 – 1765

The oldest forestry map of the Lika Regiment was created by the field survey of the forests' area, listing trees quantities and types, with the aim of establishing the real conditions of the forest's structure. All the forests were listed according to their age and density. The surveyed area was divided into 11 counties and the region of Podgorje. The map encompasses the area from Koromačina to Trstenica and high and low forests as the main cartographical content were clearly marked with the symbol of a tree top. Relief, paths, plough-fields, settlements and other cultures are all drawn in the map. The red line marks the division of counties where the actual structure of the forest was established based on the surveyed areas in acres or half of acres, as well as on the list of quantity and type of trees. The detailed explanation. or legend, enables an easier ‘reading' of the map and explains numerous drawn details, such as areas where it was possible to plant a young oak or where the areas with oak forest are situated and unkempt paths and footpaths for transportation of wood are drawn, together with unusable land roads (very important communication links in wood transport) and details such as summer stables for sheep, wells or ground sagging and water recesses in the ground.

Finally, the total number of trees in the area of the Lika Regiment is also inscribed: 9 684 236

THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA – maritime map, manuscript, circa 1570

The maritime map that shows the Mediterranean Sea is part of the portolan atlas by Diego Homen, published circa 1570 in Venice. This atlas contains seven manuscript portolan maps, and it is the most valuable piece of the Croatian State Archives' Cartographic Collection.

Because maritime maps are used in sailing, the emphasis here is put on the detailed description of the seashore configuration, sea depth, toponyms by the shore, without inscribed date on the toponyms in the hinterland or relief, while the islands are shown as patterns, without geographical details.

The maps are characterized by the compass wind rose which shows wind directions (for a total of 32 winds)

PANNONIA AND ILLYRICUM – historical map, woodcut, circa 1522

The map shows the historical area of the Roman provinces of Pannonia and Illyricum. It is based on the Ptolomey's Geography and the map titled "Quinta Europae Tabule".

The traffic directions are not drawn on the map, which only shows the most important rivers, some settlements and islands, and the names of some ancient Illyrian-Celt tribes

CROATIA, SLAVONIA, HUNGARY – war map, engraving, 1570

This war map shows the military campaign of the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

The map shows in detail the military formations of the Ottomans and the Austrian army, as well as different battles (such as the battle of Szigeth, siege of Vienna, and the capture of Buda).

The crescent symbol is used on the map not only to identify the Ottoman army, but as the cartographic symbol for settlements, such as Valpovo.

The pontoon bridge that Suleiman the Magnificent built across Drava River near Osijek is discreetly drawn, probably at a later time