The Maritime Museum of Crete was founded in 1973 with the primary aim of preserving and promoting our Maritime and Cultural Heritage, as well as the History of our island. In this context, during recent years we have been striving in every possible way to uphold these goals through the continuous enrichment of our thematic collections.
Most recently, the Museum’s collection entitled “Crete in Historical Cartography” has been expanded with original and exceptionally rare maps of Crete dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The new additions include three large-scale maps of the Island of Crete, one large-scale map of the Balkan Peninsula, and fourteen smaller maps depicting specific regions of the island.
At the center of the collection stand out two remarkable large hand-colored engravings: one by the Dutch cartographer Frederik De Wit (1634–1706), The Island of Crete and its Fortifications – “Insula Candia ejusque fortification”, from De Wit, Frederik, Atlas sive descriptio terrarum orbis, Amsterdam, c.1680 and another by the German cartographer Matthäus Seutter (1678–1757), The Island of Crete Divided into Four Parts with a View of Heraklion – “Candia”, from Seutter, Matthäus, Atlas novus, sive Tabula Geographicae Totius Orbis, Augsburg, after 1744. The group of large-scale maps is completed by the copper engraving of the Flemish cartographer and geographer Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598), Crete, the Island of Great Jupiter, Lies in the Midst of the Sea – “Creta, Iovis magni medio jacet insula ponto”, from Ortelius, Abraham, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Antwerp, 1584, and an independent copper engraving by Henri Scheurleer, Turkey in Greece – “Turquie en Europe”.
The thematic collection is further enriched with fourteen smaller engravings depicting various regions of Crete. Of particular significance is a small copper engraving of the Islet of Gramvousa by the Dutch physician and author of historical and geographical works Olfert Dapper (1636–1689), from Dapper Olfert, Naukeurige Beschryving der Eilanden in de Archipel der Middelantsche Zee, Cyprus, Rhodes, Kandien, Samos, Scio, Negroponte, Lemnos, Paros, Delos, Patmos, en andere, in groten getale, Wolfgangh, Amsterdam, 1688. Equally noteworthy is a copper engraving by the Italian cosmographer and cartographer Vincenzo Maria Coronelli (1650–1718), depicting Castel Selino and Castel Franco (Frangokastello), from Coronelli, Vincenzo Maria, Isolario, descrittione geografico-historica, sacro-profana, antico-moderna, politica, naturale, e poetica. Mari, golfi, seni, piagge, porti, barche, pesche, promontorj, monti, boschi, fiumi […], Venice, 1692.
Finally, twelve small-format copper engravings by the Italian painter and cartographer Marco Boschini (1602–1681) depict areas of Apokoronas, Sfakia, Selino, the city of Chania, and Souda, as well as a section of the coastline near Heraklion from Boschini Marco, Il Regno tutto di Candia delineato a parte a parte, et intagliato da Marco Boschini venetiano. Al serenissimo principe e regal collegio di Venetia, Venice 1651.
Historical Overview of Cartography
Since antiquity, there have been remarkable attempts to map regions, aimed at providing information about both land and sea. Over the centuries, cartography evolved with the addition of new data and instruments, alongside the changing human perception and understanding of the world.
In Ancient Greece, Thales of Miletus (624–547 B.C.) believed that the Earth was flat and floated on water—an idea consistent with the prevailing worldview of the time—while Anaximander (611–547 B.C.) drew the first known map of the world on a circular bronze tablet. Later, Pythagoras (580–496 B.C.) and Parmenides (c.515–c.470 B.C.) proposed the revolutionary idea of a spherical Earth. A crucial milestone came in the 2nd century A.D. with Claudius Ptolemy (87–150 A.D.), the Alexandrian astronomer and geographer, whose Geographike Hyphegesis compiled all the necessary data, measurements, and methods required for mapmaking.
During the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, map production became essential due to explorations and the discovery of new lands. By the late 14th century, the first portolan charts—maps depicting coastlines and navigational information—had appeared, serving as invaluable tools for seafarers.
The Origins of Cartography and Its Symbolism
A major turning point came during the Italian Renaissance, with two important city maps—of Imola and Verona—created by the Florentine painter and sculptor Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). His map of Imola is considered the first true “aerial” or “satellite” view of a city. Known for his precision and artistic mastery, da Vinci produced detailed geographical representations for military patrons, combining accurate measurement with aesthetic finesse.
Significant visual symbols were also incorporated into maps—compasses, navigational instruments, and scales—essential tools for mariners and explorers to orient themselves at sea. Particularly in the 17th century, cartography became increasingly artistic, as in the maps of Frederik De Wit, where vivid color transitions highlight both topography and ornamentation. Alongside these technical elements, maps often depicted mythical sea creatures or naval battles, as in Marco Boschini’s dramatic engravings, merging art, imagination, and geography.
Crete in Historical Cartography
Situated at the crossroads of the Eastern Mediterranean, Crete has for centuries been a focal point of European cartography—an object of admiration and a site of strategic importance. From the Renaissance to the 18th century, representations of the island reflected not only geographic data but also the political, commercial, and artistic perspectives of each era.
Greece, more broadly, was among the first regions to occupy a prominent place in European cartography. From the late 15th century onward, maps of the Balkans and the Aegean were not merely geographical documents but also cultural artifacts, reflecting the West’s fascination with classical antiquity, its architectural heritage, and its ancient ruins. In the maps of Ptolemy and the early Italian schools (notably Venice), Greece appears as a land of knowledge and continuity, while Renaissance maps revived it as a bridge between East and West. Within this framework, Crete—the largest island of the Greek world—assumed a central position.
Abraham Ortelius, with his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Antwerp, 1570), is considered the first to give cartography a scientific character by compiling the finest maps of his time. His map Creta, Iovis magni medio jacet insula ponto (“Crete, the Island of Great Jupiter, Lies in the Midst of the Sea”) presents the island in remarkable detail, linking it to both classical geography and mythology—the reference to Zeus emphasizing Crete’s ancient sacred identity.
A few decades later, the Venetian artist and cartographer Marco Boschini produced the celebrated Carta del Regno di Candia (1651), one of the most emblematic maps of the Venetian era. Having served as a topographer for the Venetian territories, Boschini combined geographical precision with artistic refinement, embellishing his map with coats of arms, ships, and city views. Here, Crete is portrayed not merely as a place, but as a “kingdom”—a jewel of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.
At the end of the 17th century, the monk and geographer Vincenzo Maria Coronelli revolutionized Italian cartography with his monumental globes and maps. His depiction of Crete—rich in detail and toponyms—reflects the turbulent era of conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, when cartography had become both a scientific and a political tool.
By the 18th century, German and Dutch cartographers entered the scene with dynamic new contributions. Matthäus Seutter created lavishly decorated maps of the Mediterranean in which Crete remained a hub of trade and strategy, while Henri Scheurleer, an 18th-century Dutch publisher, included Crete in his collections as a pivotal link between Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Olfert Dapper, with his Description exacte des Isles de l’Archipel (1688), offered a vivid combination of maps, topographical drawings, and travel accounts, capturing both the landscape and spirit of the island.
Through these works, Crete emerges as a meeting point of knowledge, symbolism, and imperial ambition. The maps of the island are not mere geographical renderings but documents of a world where science, art, and politics coexist. Each map bears witness to how Crete—the “Island of Zeus”—continued to inspire Europe’s imagination through the centuries.
The expansion of the exhibition “Crete in Historical Cartography” marks an important milestone in the Museum’s mission, and efforts will continue to further enrich it. Our ongoing dedication to expanding and promoting our collections remains guided by our commitment to safeguarding the maritime and cultural heritage of our island.
Bibliography
- Zacharakis, Christos G., “Kritis nisou thesis”: Four Centuries of Printed Maps of Crete, 1477–1800, Mikros Nautilos Editions, Heraklion, 2004.
- Candia, Creta, Kriti: The Place and the Time, 16th–18th Centuries, National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, Athens, 2005.
- Tolias, Giorgos, History of the Cartography of the Greek World, 1420–1800: Maps from the Margarita Samourka Collection, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, 2008.
- Tolias, Giorgos, Greek Nautical Charts, Portolans of the 15th–17th Centuries: A Contribution to the Mediterranean Cartography of the Early Modern Era, Olkos Editions, Athens, 1999.
- Tolias, Giorgos, Island Books: The Solitude and Companionship of Islands, Olkos Editions, Athens, 2002.
- Basilicata, Francesco, The Kingdom of Crete – Cretae Regnum, Mikros Nautilos Editions, Vikelea Library, Association of T.E.D.K. Crete, Heraklion, 1994.
Image Captions
- General view of the thematic collection “Crete in Historical Cartography.”
- De Wit, Frederik (1630–1706), The Island of Crete and its Fortifications – “Insula Candia ejusque fortification”, c.1680, hand-colored copper engraving, 52.5 × 61.5 cm.
- Seutter, Matthäus (1678–1757), The Island of Crete Divided into Four Parts with a View of Heraklion – “Candia”, 1740, copper engraving, 50 × 56 cm.
- Ortelius, Abraham (1527–1598), Crete, the Island of Great Jupiter, Lies in the Midst of the Sea – “Creta, Iovis magni medio jacet insula ponto”, 1584, copper engraving, 35 × 47 cm.
- Boschini, Marco (1602–1681), Topographical Plan of the Fortifications of Chania – “Pianta della Canea”, 1651, copper engraving, 21 × 16.5 cm.
