Znojmo,- Znaymum vulgo Znaym, Moraviae Civitas Primaria.

RARE only included in part VI of his town book. Panoramic town-view of Znojmo in Moravia by G. Hoefnagel and son, 1617. Key to twelve locations, costumes.

CAPTION: Znaymum, in the vernacular Znojmo, capital of Moravia.

CARTOUCHE: Procured by Georg Hoefnagel, painted by his son.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "This is a beautiful and wealthy city in Moravia, situated on the border to Austria on a hill or mountain, at the foot of which lies the River Dyje. In the city there is a splendid town hall or council house with a high and skilfully built tower. The town houses are also very fine and handsome. The burghers of Znojmo are especially praised by Dubravius because they opposed the sect of the Hussites, even though today the whole of Moravia is a nest of Anabaptists."

Znojmo, which lies high above the River Dyje, is shown from the southwest with its city wall and many towers, with the Gothic hall tower (C) rising high in the middle. To the left of this is the church of St Nicholas (B) with its high nave and square tower. There was a castle in Znojmo in the 9th century during the Great Moravian Empire. The town developed under the protection of the castle, built by the Margraves of Moravia in the 11th century. Of this castle, the Romanesque Rotunda of St Catherine with its outstanding frescoes has been preserved. After its destruction in the 12th century, Znojmo was refounded by German settlers and was raised to the status of a royal city in 1226. The engraving shows the 13th-century Gothic castle (A); in the 17th century, this was turned into a Baroque palace, which still exists. (Taschen)

Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.

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.

Reference: Van der Krogt 4, 4943; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.465; Fauser, 15934.