HARLEMUM, Sive ut Ha: Barlan Herlemum, Urbs Hollandiae famosa . . .[HAARLEM]

A bird's-eye view plan of Haarlem, by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg. TRANSLATION OF CARTOUCHE TEXT: Harlemum, or, as Hadrianus Barlandus writes, Herlemum, a renowned Dutch city, founded by an illustrious man who had the German name Lem; the city was therefore called Herr-Lems-Stadt in German. We say Harlemum in Latin, with the same meaning. Here there is a great market square, beautiful houses, an admirable church. The city is a charming location.
Immediately after leaving the walls behind one enters a grove where various bird songs can be heard, and where there live timid deer, fleeing stags, hares, rabbits, in short all manner of wild animal.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN: "The art of book printing is said to have been invented in Haarlem, as attested by various sources. But the first inventor of this art died before he had assembled all the things he needed for printing. His servant then travelled to Mainz and there began to practise the newly invented art."
Haarlem, a trade city whose favourable position on the coast is shown in a bird's-eye view from the southeast, was experiencing a great economic and demographic upturn at the time of the publication of this engraving, following the Agreement of Veere in 1577, when it was returned to the House of Orange. Around 1573 it had a population of 18,000, which by 1622 had risen to 40,000. Many Flemings came here to escape from the Spanish occupation and because of the flourishing textile industry.
After a devastating fire laid by the Spanish had destroyed almost 500 buildings, the architect Lieven de Key planned much of the reconstruction work. The tulip trade also flourished in Haarlem in the 17th century. The three-nave Sint-Baafskerk with its wooden tower and the town hall can still be seen in the Grote Markt today. Here stands a bronze statue of Laurens Coster, who according to a local legend invented the art of book printing in 1423.

Reference: Van der Krogt 4 - #1672, Fauser - #5231, Taschen, Br. Hog. - p.156