(Weimar) Winmaria, Fertiliss. Thuringiae Urbs Praestantissima Vulgo Weinmar .

A fine copper-engraved important early view of Weimar, crediting as a painter: Johan Wolfius, Rector of the Gymnasium at Ratisbona (Regensburg). From Vol.3 of 'Civitates Orbis Terrarum'.
TRANSLATION OF CARTOUCHE TEXT: Winmaria, pre-eminent city in fertile Thuringia, in German Weimar. COMMENTARY BY BRAUN: "In the years 1299 and 1404 Weimar was severely harmed by terrible fires. It is true that this misfortune caused great damage, but afterwards the city was not only reconstructed but embellished with such splendid buildings that now they add to its fame and beauty.
The imposing Palace of the Dukes of Saxony numbers among them [...], above all with its very pleasant and well-designed gardens with delicious herbs and fruit-bearing trees."

This bird's-eye view from the west shows the green city of Weimar in its landscape setting, nestled amongst fertile, rolling fields and meadows beside the Ilm. Beside the river towards the top of the picture stands the original ducal residence. Hornstein castle, to the right of which is the palace built by Duke John William with its formal gardens.
Clearly visible within the city is the late Gothic church of SS Peter and Paul, today known as the Herderkirche after the theologian and philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder, who worked here as court preacher from 1776 to 1801. In the 14th century (1342-1346) struggles for control over Thuringia resulted in Weimar becoming a fief of the Wettin dynasty. Weimar was granted its charter in 1410; in 1424 the city had to be rebuilt after a devasting fire. In 1552 Duke John Frederich the Magnanimous made it the capital of the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar (Taschen).

The 'Civitates Orbis Terrarum', or the "Braun & Hogenberg", is a six-volume town atlas and the greatest book of town views and plans ever published: 363 engravings, sometimes beautifully colored. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso.
A large number of the plates were engraved after the original drawings of Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600), who was a professional artist. The first volume was published in Latin in 1572, the sixth volume in 1617. Frans Hogenberg created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel created those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were cartographer Daniel Freese, and Heinrich Rantzau.
Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used. Translations appeared in German and French.

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Reference: Van der Krogt 4, 4792; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.245.