A bright and detailed plan of Cologne, in full contemporary colour with a panoramic view of the city from across the river Rhein.

Seutter's plan emphasises the city's status as a major harbour and flourishing trading city, demonstrated by the many ships entering and exiting the city and the shipbuilding site in the plan's vignette. It also highlights Cologne's security thanks to its strong city walls and towers, in contrast to the area of Deutz across the river, which lacks fortifications.
As well as the city's major ports, the plan's key primarily notes the city's important churches. Cologne was considered a 'daughter of Rome' due to its position as a sovereign state within the Holy Roman Empire. The most important of Cologne's 'magnificent 365 churches' are marked, including the Church of Saint Ursula, the site upon which the 11,000 virgins associated with Saint Ursula are said to be buried.
Seutter (1647-1756) was one of the most important and prolific German map publishers of the 18th century. He was apprenticed in Nuremberg to Johann Bapist Homann, the leading German cartographic publisher of the period. Having finished his training he left to establish his own independent cartographic publishing house in Augsburg. By 1732 Seutter was one of the most celebrated publishers of his time and was honored by the German Emperor Charles VI with the title of "Imperial Geographer".

Double-page engraved plan (49x56.5 cm) with full contemporary body wash colour. Framed dimensions: 63 x 71cm.

Krudewig 154; Fauser 6717.