Treveris - Typus ac Situs antiquissimae ... [on sheet with] Cobolentz - Situs civitatis confluentinae, ... [and] Rotenburgum ad Tubarum. . .

Three very desirable and early town-views of Trier, Koblenz and Rothenburg.
"TRIER : "This illustration looks down upon the city from the left bank of the Moselle. Founded as Augusta Treverorum by Augustus in 16 BC, Trier is Germany's oldest city. Amongst its Roman remains, the massive basilica of Constantine from the start of the 4th century (right of the center) is particularly striking. Dominating the city center is the architectural ensemble of three churches: Trier cathedral, Germany's oldest sacred building, and beside it the early Gothic Liebfrauenkirche, with its distinctive tall crossing tower, followed by St Gangolf's. . ." (Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.99.)

KOBLENZ : "The view shows Koblenz from the north. On the left, opposite the mouth of the Moselle, sits the 11th-century castle of Ehrenbreitstein, remodeled into a Trier electoral fortress at the start of the 16th century by Archbishop Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads. On the far right the 325-m-long stone bridge over the Moselle was begun in 1342 by Elector Baldwin of Luxembourg and completed 85 years later. Near the spit of land (today called the Deutsches Eck) at the confluence of the two rivers stands the late Romanesque basilica of St Castor, and on the right the late Romanesque Liebfrauenkriche. . .". (Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.99.)

ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER : "View of the small town from the opposite side of the Tauber Valley. Rothenburg "above the Tauber" is still known for its picturesque cityscape, and the numerous towers along the ramparts in the engraving punctuate the skyline even today. Visible on the left with its two towers is the parish church of St James, which in 1544 became Protestant and which houses Tilman Riemenschneider's famous Altarpiece of the Holy Blood from the early 16th century.." . (Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.91.)

From volume one of the greatest publication in this genre!. 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.

Reference: Koeman (1967-70) B & H 1-5, NMM III, i, 459 (1573-1618 ed.), Introduction', in: G. Braun and F. Hogenberg, Civitates orbis terrarum (Amsterdam: 1965). (2)