ITALY. TRICARICO IN BASILICATA BY BRAUN & HOGENBERG C.1620.

TRICARICUM BASILICATAE CIVITAS

A highly attractive copper line engraving on paper, produced to accompany Braun & Hogenberg's "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", and first published in Cologne circa 1620. 

CAPTION: Tricarico, a city in the Basilicata. 

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN: "The city of Tricaricolies in a territory of the Neapolitan Kingdom, which was formerly called Luciania but today Basilicata. Many say it was built out of two ruined towns, one of which was formerly called Tricae, the other Aegie (for which reason it has kept both names). There is a bishopric here, and besides the bishop's church many splendid monasteries and churches, in which precious relics and sacred objects are kept, such as the bones of the holy Abbot Antonius, which give out a powerful light and are kept in the main church with proper reverence and respect." 

This is a view from the west of the town of Tricarico situated on the ridge of a hill. The most prominent feature is the Norman tower to the south, which today is the town's landmark. Alongside it are many noble palaces, churches and monasteries. On the left is the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (4), which goes back to Robert Guiscard, next to the Norman castle (Castello del Prencipe). Here, Louis I of Anjou was crowned king of Naples in 1383. There is archaeological evidence of settlements here in prehistorical and Roman times. The town was fortified in the Lombardian period, was then alternately a Saracen and Byzantine fortress, and in the 11th/12th centuries the centre of an important Norman county.The founding of the bishopric goes back to the year AD 968, first as a suffragan of the Orthodox city of Hydrus (Otranto). (Taschen) 

Measures approx. 330 x 470 mm. Excellent condition. 

Attractive Hand Colour.

A guaranteed genuine antique map.