Mappa Mundi

This world map  (Mappa Mundi in Latin) from around 1450 by the Italian monk, accountant, and cartographer Fra Mauro (d. 1464) is “considered to be the greatest memorial of medieval cartography”. With the impressive dimensions of 2.4 x 2.4 meters, it is also the largest surviving medieval European map, which is drawn on parchment and mounted in a gilded wooden frame. The circular planisphere was the most detailed and accurate depiction of the world yet created, marking the transition from biblically-based geography to more scientific methods. It is also one of the first European maps to depict Japan. As such, NASA, when comparing the map to satellite images, has described it as “stunning” in its accuracy. The map was an expensive project which took years to create on the island of Murano near Venice and two editions were made by Fra Mauro’s workshop for the great maritime powers of Venice and Portugal. (Click to enlarge map)