The Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC) and the National Library of Spain (BNE) have co-published the book El Principado de Cattaluña y Condados de Rossellon y Cerdaña. This work makes accessible to the general public the monumental wall map of Catalonia created in 1687 by the military engineer Ambrosio Borsano. The map, of large dimensions, is preserved at the BNE and is considered one of the most detailed and significant cartographic representations of 17th-century Catalonia.

The book edition includes a reduced reproduction of the map, accompanied by four studies that analyze Borsano’s figure, his career, and the importance of his work in the history of cartography. It also offers a comparison between the 17th-century urban views surrounding the map and the current ortophoto from the ICGC, allowing the identification of the evolution of the landscape and cities.

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With this publication, a document previously only available for on-site consultation is made accessible to everyone, turning it into shared cultural heritage.

Useful links: 
•    Purchase of the book at the ICGC e-store.
•    Video on the digitization of Borsano's map.
•    Access to the digitized map at the Biblioteca Digital Hispánica.
•    See the news from the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition.