Nissa Silesior sedes Episcopalis - Liginicium [NYSA/NEISSE-LEGNICA/LIEGNITZ.]

An original copper-engraving with panoramic views of Nysa and Legnica from the 6th part of Latin ed. of Braun and Hogenberg's "Civitates Orbis Terrarum". Published by A. Hierat in Cologne, 1617, printed from one plate. With two ornamental title-cartouches, 2 coats-of-arms and figures.
This view comes from the sixth and last volume of 'Civitates Orbis Terrarum' ("Theatri Praecipuarum Totius Mundi Urbivm Liber Sextus"), published in a much smaller edition than previous volumes, and it is therefore rarer than most of Braun & Hogenberg city views.

NYSA. CARTOUCHE: Nysa, episcopal see in Silesia.
COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "This is a fine city in Silesia. Its name is taken from the River Nysa on which it lies.
It is quit large, handsome and well built, in a very cheerful and fertile situation. It has the right of entrepôt for goods that pass the city on the Neisse. This river rises in the Bohemian mountains and flows past Görlitz to join the Oder at Crossen."

This is a view of Nysa (German Neisse) from the northwest. In the middle of the city is the Gothic cathedral of St James, dating from the 14th/15th centuries with its separate bell tower. To the right of this is the town hall tower, and on the far right the Münsterberg gate tower, which is a part of the city wall, built in 1350. In the left foreground, in front of the Neisse bridge, the Capuchin monastery can be identified. Nysa, is one of the oldest cities in Silesia, it lies in a strategically favourable position on the Nysa Klodzka.
In the 12th century the city was the seat of the Piast duke. After 1198 Nysa passed into the possession of the bishops of Wroclaw, whose residence can be seen on the left in the northeastern part of the town.

LEGNICA.COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "On the origins of this city, like almost all other cities in Silesia, we have little information. This is due to a certain extent to the fact that the annals, together with other archives and written documents, have been destroyed, partly by enemy attack and partly by fire."
This is a view from the northwest of the city of Legnica (German Liegnitz), which is protected by bastions and a moat. The nobles depicted in the foreground illustrate the city's importance. On the left is the castle with its octagonal St Peter's tower and the round St Hedwig's tower, to the right of this is the church of Our Lady and on the far right the Gothic cathedral of SS Peter and Paul.
In the 12th century the city was the seat of the Dukes of Lower Silesia and from 1248 to 1675 it was the residence of the Duchy of Legnica. In 1526 the first Protestant university in Europe was founded here. This important trade and industrial city passed to Prussia in 1742 and to Poland in 1945. (Taschen)

The "Civitates" was compiled and written by George Braun, Canon of Cologne Cathedral. Braun gathered together vast amounts of information and draft plans to produce over 500 city views/maps published in six parts between 1572 and 1617. Most of these engravings were made by Simon Novellanus and Frans Hogenberg, many after drawings by Joris Hoefnagel.
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Reference: Koeman IV, map 3140, ed. 41:1-3 (1617/18 B&H 6),Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.455.