(Click the thumb nail to see a larger image)

Pub Year	Map Maker	Pub Place	Map Title	Map Price (USD)	Picture
1572	Porcacchi, Tomaso	Venice	Descrittione della Gran Citta e Isola del Temistitan	$475	Picture

A copper plate engraved map

Size: 11-1/2 inches X 7-3/4 inches

Map Type: City

This is a superior copy with strong engraving.

This interesting 440 year old bird's-eye plan of Mexico City depicts the center of the city as a large island in a lake surrounded by smaller islands with houses and fortifications and bridges as originally sketched by Cortez. The map is set within a page of Italian text with Italian text on verso as well. The text describes the geography and history of the great Aztec capital.

Taken from a very early Italian atlas by Tomaso Porcacchi containing maps and description "the most famous islands" of both the old and new worlds including the newly discovered Mexico City.

References: Tooley's Dictionary of Mapmakers, Volume 4 Page 452 Porcacchi Tomaso, Scott, Valerie, Map Collector Publications, Tring, Hertz, England, 1999; The Mapping of the World, #127 P. 150, Shirley, Rodney W., New Holland LTD., London, 1984