This engraved city view, labeled as “Geneue. Genss.” was produced in 1654 by the atelier of Matthaeus Merian, with textual contributions from Martin Zeiller and Caspar Merian. Issued in Frankfurt by Matthaei Merian seel. Erben, it appears as a plate within the third edition of the monumental “Topographia Helvetiae,” itself part of Merian’s multi-volume Topographia Germaniae series. As shown by the visible book gutter and binding, the sheet retains full margins, revealing its original context as a bound folio atlas page.
The engraving depicts a panoramic bird’s-eye view of Geneva and its immediate environs, oriented from the southeast and spanning the town, defensive walls, and waterfront. The foreground is detailed with figures, garden plots, and suburban dwellings, while the middle ground encompasses Geneva’s old city, prominent churches, lakeside port, and clusters of civic buildings. Lake Geneva and its quays dominate the center, with boats and ships dotting the water, and the view recedes into Alpine mountain ranges in the background. Along the lower margin, a keyed legend identifies twenty specific sites within the scene.
This is a reproduction print of a historical map
