Plattegrond van Neurenberg

This is an anonymous bird’s eye view map of Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, Germany, printed on paper. Maps like this one served not only as navigational tools but also as statements of power and control. Nuremberg, as depicted here, appears orderly and contained, surrounded by fortifications. But what does it mean to map a city? It is an act of claiming space, of imposing a certain vision of order onto a complex, lived environment. Consider too, who is included and excluded from this representation? The map likely reflects the concerns and priorities of the ruling class, emphasizing civic structures, trade routes, and military defenses. What stories and experiences are missing from this seemingly comprehensive view? How does the act of mapping shape our understanding of the city and its inhabitants?