Marienberg Misniae Civitas

Rare first edition of this c.17th engraved view of Marienberg, Germany by Braun & Hogenberg taken from the south and from a slightly elevated viewpoint.

The city is located on the former trade route from Leipzig to Prague and was founded by Duke Henry of Saxony after the discovery of silver and tin in 1521. The city is surrounded by fields and vegetable gardens and laid out according to a strict rectangular grid; it has a city wall with four round towers built in 1541-1566. On the right, St Mary’s church can be seen, and the town hall to the left. In the middle, in front of the pond, is a slag heap and the entrance to a mine as a symbol of the mining industry (C). The hunter in the foreground indicates the abundance of game in the local forests. The figure with the book or sketchbook may be the artist, Jakob Hoefnagel himself. Taschen, p. 460

All around the city are many rich mines, which is why it was founded. Although some of these mines have declined, and some are even completely abandoned, others are still in good condition and are being worked on. The Dukes of Saxony obtain great benefit and silver treasures from them, even if not as much as in former times, when Duke Albert descended into St George’s pit in Schneeberg with his servants and used an enormous piece of pure silver as a table and dines from it.

References:
Braun/Hogenberg, Cities of the World. Taschen, Cologne 2017 : p.460, ill. 460.
Kroght, p., Koeman’s Atlantes Neerlandici. V IV-2, 2623, ill. p. 1144

Collections:
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam: Object number RP-P-AO-20-25
Royal Collection Trust UK: RCIN 1124653
State Library New South Wales: CALL NUMBER T/RAV/FM4/2 (1599)