See Bure’s monumental 1626 map

Orbis arctoi is a map of the Nordic region, printed in 1626 after 21 years of work. It marks a breakthrough for cartography in Sweden and represents significant progress compared with the earlier Nordic map, Carta marina, by Olaus Magnus (published in Venice in 1539), which is also on display in the Exhibition Hall.

Anders Bure’s map has been called “the declaration of independence of Swedish cartography.” It draws on numerous underlying maps and surveys and includes far eastern areas such as the Kola Peninsula and Moscow, with a very extensive list of place names – reflecting Sweden’s interests in Russia at that time.

Bure’s map was so highly regarded that it shaped the world’s view of the Nordic region for nearly a hundred years, reappearing in many later editions well into the 18th century. It depicts the North in a form still recognizable to us today.

Few surviving copies

Only around ten copies of this map are known to exist, and a mere handful still include the original framing text. The Library’s copy is complete, featuring both title and descriptive text. It was printed from six copper plates. The title was printed separately, from a woodcut on an additional strip:

“Orbis arctoi nova et accurata delineatio, Auctore Andrea Bureo Sueco” – “A new and accurate depiction of the northern world, produced by the Swede Andreas Bureus.”

A map reflecting Sweden’s Great Power era

The map can be seen as a monument to the ambitions of the rising Swedish Empire. Portraits of Gustav II Adolf and Queen Maria Eleonora are surrounded by provincial crests, as well as Venus, Minerva, and Victoria – symbols of warfare, wisdom, and courage. Below the King’s and Queen’s portraits is a small blank medallion, presumably intended for a future heir. In the top right corner is a sinewy Neptune with flowing hair, seated in a shell and pulled along by sea monsters.

Latin text around the map describes the Nordic region’s political geography and history. Though the author is not named, it was likely Bure himself. The map is dedicated to Gustav II Adolf and Queen Maria Eleonora.

The father of Swedish cartography

When Anders Bure presented his map to the King, his reward included 1,000 copies of the 1618 Bible, which he could sell at a good profit. In 1623, he was appointed inspector of public construction, and on many foreign maps he is styled “supremus Regni Sueciae architectus” – the Chief Architect of the Kingdom of Sweden. Andreas Bureus was ennobled in 1624 under the name Anders Bure. In 1628, he became generalmathematicus, tasked with training land surveyors – a role that has earned him the title “the father of Swedish cartography.” The Swedish mapping authority counts its origins from that year. He continued to train surveyors until 1633 and thereafter took on many other assignments.