Kueffstein

Dimensions are sheet size. Kufstein is well known for Kufstein Fortress (Festung Kufstein), which sits atop a hill overlooking the town and has a long history as a strategic stronghold. The fortress, along with the town's picturesque location on the Inn River, makes Kufstein a popular destination. Historically, Kufstein has been an important site due to its location near the border between Austria and Bavaria.
First edition. Topographia Provinciarum Austriacarum (1649) is a historical and geographical work by Matthäus Merian and Martin Zeiller, part of their extensive series on European cities and regions. The book is a richly illustrated topographical description of the Austrian provinces, including Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Upper and Lower Austria, Salzburg, and others. It was created during the mid-17th century, providing both visual and textual accounts of the landscapes, towns, castles, churches, and other landmarks of the Austrian regions at the time. The text was written by Martin Zeiller, a scholar and geographer, while the engravings were produced by Matthäus Merian, one of the most renowned Swiss engravers of the time. Together, they created a series of topographical books that combined detailed copper engravings with descriptions of the geography, history, and culture of various European regions. The copperplate engravings give detailed depictions of cities, fortifications, monasteries, and castles. The text outlines important historical events, geographic features, and cultural practices of the regions. As it was published in 1649, it provides a snapshot of Austria shortly after the Thirty Years' War, capturing both the grandeur and the ravages of the time. Overall, the work is an invaluable resource for historians and scholars interested in early modern Austrian geography, architecture, and society. It is part of the monumental 16 volume Topographia Germaniae by Matthaeus Merian the Elder (1583-1650), a Swiss-born engraver and publisher, in collaboration with Martin Zeiller (1589–1661), a German geographer and scholar. This series, published between 1642 and 1654, is one of the most comprehensive early modern depictions of German-speaking regions and their surrounding territories. It encompasses Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Alsace, and parts of neighboring countries. Each volume focuses on a specific region or set of regions, with descriptive text by Zeiller and engravings by Merian and his workshop. The illustrations are renowned for their precision and artistic quality, showcasing Merian's skill as an engraver. The Topographia series influenced cartography and urban studies for centuries and remains a valuable resource for historians and art collectors. The series exemplifies the era's fascination with cataloging and visually representing the world in an orderly and systematic way.
For full text of this volume, see https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$c237806