Georg Braun (also Brunus, Bruin; 1541 – 10 March 1622) was a topo-geographer.[1] From 1572 to 1617 he edited the Civitates orbis terrarum, which contains 546 prospects, bird's-eye views, and maps of cities from all around the world.[2]
Braun was born and died in Cologne. His principal profession was as a Catholic cleric, however, and he spent thirty-seven years as canon and dean at the church, St. Maria ad Gradus, in Cologne.
The six-volume work was inspired by Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia. In form and layout it resembles the 1570 Theatrum orbis terrarum by Abraham Ortelius, as Ortelius was interested in a complementary companion for the Theatrum.
The Braun publication set new standards in cartography for over 100 years. Frans Hogenberg (1535–1590, from Munich) created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel created those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were Georg Hoefnagel, cartographer Daniel Freese, and Heinrich Rantzau. Also, works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were used. Mainly, European cities are depicted in the publication, however, Casablanca[3] and Mexico City[4] are also included in volume I.
Georg Braun was the principal editor of the work, he acquired the tables, hired the artists, and wrote the texts. He died as an octogenarian in 1622, as the only survivor of the original team to witness the publication of volume VI in 1617.