Catalonia commemorates the 650th anniversary of the Catalan Atlas
The Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC) and the History Museum of Barcelona (MUHBA) have commemorated the 650th anniversary of the Catalan Atlas, one of the most outstanding cartographic works of the time for its historical, scientific and artistic Catalan richness.
The Catalan Atlas, created around 1375 and attributed to the Majorcan Jew Cresques Abraham and his son Jafudà, is a unique work that combines geographical knowledge, economic information and an ornamentation made of gold and miniatures.
Made up of six sheets of parchment and written entirely in Catalan, it offers a true window into the known world of the 14th century.
To mark the anniversary, the ICGC and the MUHBA have organized an international conference on October 29 and 30 at the Palau Major in Barcelona, which brought together experts from all over the world to analyze the historical, cultural and scientific context of this masterpiece, as well as its legacy as a myth of medieval cartography.
Presentation of the conference. Carles Garcia Hermosilla, director of the MUHBA, and Antonio Magariños, director of the ICGC.
Speakers of the conference. Noelia Ramos, Cartoteca de Catalunya, and Ramon Pujades, MUHBA.
The commemoration of this anniversary highlights the Catalan cartographic tradition and underlines the importance of knowledge and representation of the territory. A principle that connects directly with the current mission of the ICGC: to preserve and disseminate knowledge of our country through science and cartography.