Carta marina
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The Carta marina was printed in Venice 1539. It was the first map that depicted the Nordic countries more or less correctly. The Carta marina can be seen as a precursor to Swedish cartography.
The map went missing for several centuries until a copy was found in 1886 in the Hof- und Staatsbibliothek in Munich, where it is still preserved. 75 years later, a second copy was found, which Uppsala University Library acquired in 1962 from Switzerland.
A number of later reproductions have been produced based on the copies in Munich and Uppsala. Colour reproductions have also been published, but the two preserved originals are not coloured.
The map consists of 3 x 3 sheets, with each sheet measuring 55 x 40 cm (22 x 16 inches). The sheets have been printed individually from woodcuts. Together, the nine sheets form a map that is 125 cm (49 inches) high and 170 cm (67 inches) wide.
Olaus Magnus – the map's creator
The creator of the map was the Swedish clergyman Olaus Magnus (1490–1557). He worked on the map for twelve years before it was printed in Venice in 1539. Olaus Magnus added descriptions in Latin, as well as in Italian and German, to the Carta marina.
In 1524, Olaus Magnus travelled to Rome on King Gustav Vasa’s behalf for negotiations with the Roman Curia (the papal court). The reformation in Sweden contributed to his decision never to return. During his life in exile, he devoted himself to historical research and writing.
The Carta marina can be regarded as a precursor to Olaus Magnus's work Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus (A Description of the Northern Peoples), printed in Rome in 1555. This is the first major description of the Nordic countries and people. The connection to the Carta marina is clear, and one could even say that his Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus constitutes an exceedingly rich description and commentary on the map.
Further reading
Herman Richter, Olaus Magnus Carta marina 1539, Lund 1967 (Lychnos-bibliotek, 11:2)
Ulla Ehrensvärd, The History of the Nordic Map: From Myths to Reality, Helsinki 2006
Olaus Magnus, Carta marina 1539, édité et raconté par Elena Balzamo, Paris 2005
Olaus Magnus, Die Wunder des Nordens, erschlossen von Elena Balzamo und Reinhard Kaiser, Frankfurt am Main 2006
