The Best Map of a City: The Nolli Map of Rome

Go crazy and buy this huge map: www.amazon.com...
Check out the Nolli website: nolli.uoregon.edu
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The 1748 Nolli Map of Rome is the best map of any city ever for three reasons: accuracy, detail, and influence. I’m not going to say it’s THE MOST accurate, detailed, or influential map ever, but it has all three attributes in spades. It’s one of the most important historical documents we have about the eternal city, Rome.
A. Ceen, Allan. “Nuova Pianta di Roma Data in Luce da Giambattista Nolli l’Anno MDCCXLVIII.” nolli.uoregon.e...
B. Ceen, Allan. “Nuova Pianta di Roma Data in Luce da Giambattista Nolli l’Anno MDCCXLVIII.” nolli.uoregon.e...
C. Nice, James. “The Nolli Map and Urban Theory.” nolli.uoregon.e...
D. Ceen, Allan. “Nuova Pianta di Roma Data in Luce da Giambattista Nolli l’Anno MDCCXLVIII.” nolli.uoregon.e...
Produced in sunny Sacramento, California.

[@CityBeautiful]

I'm definitely obsessed with maps of all kinds. Do you have a favorite map or depiction of a city? I'd love to see them!

[@davidmkatzin251]

I love the NY MTA Map. I despise the London Underground map. Not sure why.

[@CityBeautiful]

The 70's Vignelli map of the NYC Subway is a classic.

[@molotilkin07]

I guess my favorite maps are maps of all metro and tram tracks in my city (Moscow) and the way they develop over the years - you can find a lot of new and now unused tracks all over the city and discover how the city evolved in a suprising way (it strange to think the part of town you live in was village less than a centry ago)

[@awesomelyshorticles]

My favorite map of a city is one I found on the wall of a local coffee shop, the name of which completely evades me. It shows the city streets of Omaha and Council Bluffs as they existed in 1927. It includes all the streetcar and bus routes along the streets, and the railroad tracks that snake through the city. Though it perhaps wasnt the intention to highlight this, it portrays the history of Omaha as an important railroad hub, growing from a few blocks along the river and radiating outward with gradual additions of streetcar lines and a few busses. The difference between residential and commercial developments can be easily discerned from carefully looking at the street forms. Council bluffs is easily seen as a little sibling to Omaha, with a very rigid grid centered on a main artery of businesses that connects straight to Omaha's downtown, showing CB is like Omaha's other half. You can even see the shift in city planning style from perfect grids to irregularly sized block grids taking place in the outer regions of the city. I have a lot of fun comparing this map to google maps to see what the city blocks contain and what's changed since then. I wish I could upload the pictures I took into this comment.

[@CityBeautiful]

That's awesome. I love those old views of US cities. I've seen others that seem to highlight railroads -- I'm just speculating but I'm wondering if railroad companies funded the making of the maps or were used by railroad companies at the time?

[@deportu]

I own a copy of this map that my father gave to me. He bought it in the 60s when he was studying architecture in Rome. It truly is a remarkable work of art. I absolutely love your channel and I hope to continue seeing videos from you for a really long time. Thank you for sharing this!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks so much! I studied planning in Rome and it was truly life-changing. I need to go back someday.

[@amwchicago5276]

We were shown this map in my architecture course this past year. Thank you for filling in on the details behind its history. My professors used it to convey its depiction of space and fill. However, they didn't go into detail on its significance historically. I'm glad you could share!

[@christianseehausen9264]

Okay, now I want wall-sized print of this. Can't believe I never heard of it, I love maps too. Incredible!

[@AlexandPedro]

Shh! You're in a library!

[@CityBeautiful]

It's summer break -- there weren't many people to bother anyway. :)

[@AlexandPedro]

City Beautiful That makes sense. Hehe

[@noob.168]

"Hey, hey! This is library!!!" ;P If you get the reference.

[@sijiepeng5953]

I’m writing an essay on the urban planning history of Rome and the website you provided is so helpful! Thanks a lot! Especially I’m from an non-English speaking country and I didn’t find much information in our database. Thanks again sincerely!

[@uprightleftdown1]

I just love your enthusiasm on everything city-related.

[@michaelhillman9092]

Fellow urban planner here. Love the videos dude, super high quality productions. I remember learning about Figure ground maps!

[@theratty120]

When I thought it couldn't get any better, maps get added to the mix! Love this video (and maps) As an Aussie, my favourite map is undoubtedly The Oxford Wall Maps of Australia 'Sheep & Wheat' map from Griffith Taylor and H.O. Beckit. Breaking down an entire country into its capacity to grow wheat and rear sheep is hilarious to see.

[@CityBeautiful]

haha, that is a great map. "No sheep." "Some sheep."

[@qwertyTRiG]

Hayden Radford The great channel Fantasy Cartography is run by an Australian.

[@HammaneggsAirborne]

My personal favorite is a book reproduction of "Bacon's Large Scale Atlas of London and Suburbs" from the Edwardian era. It's spread across 34 sheets for the main map, but also has some smaller scale ones for fire districts and the like. The book itself is "The A to Z of Edwardian London" pubished by the London Topographical Society. I enjoy having it around from my month-long visit there, getting to see places I recognize as they were a century or so earlier.

[@cxiliapersono]

I like my city's Santiago de Chile 1895 map, because it amazes me how the neighbourhoods depicted still sort of keep their identity.

[@jeffreybalmer]

Great video Dave! Shared with my Rome-bound architecture students (p.s. I'm an old friend of Allan Ceen's, and showed your video to him). Small note: You've spelt Jim Tice's last name as "Nice" in your list (see C.)

[@CityBeautiful]

I always liked Jim, so maybe that was a freudian slip of a typo! Glad you liked the video, and hope your students did too.

[@fritzmsullivan]

Just got a copy of this map! I've been looking for a great map for a while. Thank you for profiling this one. I do carpentry on the side. I'll have to make a nice custom frame since it is so large!

[@CityBeautiful]

Nice! I'm jealous.

[@andrewweinberger4430]

I'm officially in love with this channel. Well done!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks!!

[@andrewweinberger4430]

And by 'officially in love' I of course mean that I finally remembered to hit subscribe :D

[@DivingWithMatt]

Your videos just keep getting better and better!

[@KnowHistory]

It is not everyday you see such an amazing map

[@Lgg130]

it actually is. through this video or the mentioned website.

[@scottthomas8607]

I love when I can tell that people love what they do.

[@aznandyroo]

Maps and city planning go hand in hand. This video just makes my nerdy cartographer heart so full

[@skripnigor]

Highly underrated channel ! Awesome content 👍

[@microbios8586]

I love your channel. Every one of your videos peaks my interest. I devour this stuff. Keep up the good work.

[@servandodelarosa621]

I'd give the Nolli map the importance it deserves, but by no means it would be the best map of a city. I'd invite you to search for the Teixeira map of Madrid (Plano de Teixeira in Spanish), also known as 'Mantua Carpetanorum sive Matritum Urbs Regia', made in 1656, one century before the Nolli map. Probably one of the best maps in history, depicts Imperial Madrid with a level of detail I've never seen on a different map. Made of 20 sheets of 45x56 cm (18x22 inches), represents façades, patios, windows, doors, as well as vegetation and architectural ornament. A wonder worth seeing. If you are interested you can visualise the map on the IGN website (National Geographical Institute of Spain): www.ign.es/web/catalogo-cartoteca/resources/html/001488.html You just need to click on 'ver obra' and you'll be able to click on different jpegs in order to see it. www2.ign.es/MapasAbsysJPG/41-A-17_Mosaico.jpg Greetings

[@chrcomba1]

dude, i like your channel a lot. I was going to go to Concordia in Montreal for their urban planning program. I'm still bummed to this day that I had to drop out before I could really get going because of stupid money

[@ericvanzee6690]

"Oriented to the East" is actually redundant, because "Orient" means "East" :DD

[@dbsalex]

Last time I saw someone filmed in a Library, she became famous very soon.

[@412StepUp]

Who was it?

[@trevorn2969]

@@412StepUp probably mia khalifa

[@Ursopacos]

@@412StepUp it was the girl complaining about asian people at her university's library

[@brettmanley8870]

I have a 1936 Rand-McNally World Atlas that also has information about many countries. Africa is mind boggling. And when you consider what was going on in Europe at the time, really interesting.

[@SarahIlayda]

YT recommended your videos to me because of the SimCity but thank god it did! Love your videos! All best wishes from Turkey!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks Sarah!

[@breakingborders]

Another great video!

[@michaelmcgrath6944]

If anyone lives in or near the Twin Cities area, the Minneapolis Institute of Art has an original 1748 print of this map on display in all it's glory, and its 100% FREE to get in and see it.

[@davidgusquiloor2665]

As an architecture student this is the most amazing thing i have seen in this channel. Great find, and that level of detail and craft is admirable.

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks!

[@padrehousecat]

I have always been obsessed with maps too. Whenever I travel someplace new I always look at a map and memorize where everything is before I go. Otherwise I feel helpless and lost when I arrive. Everyone I know tells me this is not normal behavior 😂

[@JustWrite]

So cool!!!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks! Great to meet you.

[@LLCL2012]

Can you make a video of how cities are built around the world with different styles? for example anyone can notice the difference in google maps between el Paso and Ciudad Juarez. The difference between american, and latin american ways of built.

[@thesaltycabbage]

I find it fascinating that over a millennia after the fall of the western Roman empire the city still hadn't recovered to its former population

[@slome815]

Might be the best 18th century city map. But the most impressive map of the 18th century must be the ferarris map of the entire austrian netherlands (modern day belgium). All the roads and buildings are on it, as well as markings of solidary trees and other landmarks, different fields, and borders of counties. There is a site that you can use to compare it with modern day maps, and it's correct within metres.

[@CityBeautiful]

That is a good one!

[@grandexandi]

You had me at "Rome"

[@gododoof]

Thanks for sharing this. I love maps and I love Rome.

[@brianshissler3263]

Pretty cool. I think I like the Turgot map more though...just like this one but far more detailed. But the Noli interior mapping...that is something else all together

[@drooplug]

I am inspired! I volunteered to make a map to depict parking locations for the local town center organization. I really like the figure to ground idea. I have already drawn the buildings as homogenous blocks, but to add details of the public spaces would be really awesome. I'm going to give it a go and then drop all these terms as if I'm a well studied cartographer. 😁

[@AgglomeratiProduzioni]

Yeah yeah, kinda cool, but does it also indicate where McDonald's is?

[@judgeady2391]

Ruben Your answer is that of a typical American.

[@RhodokTribesman]

It was a joke Adriano... besides, there is actually a McDonalds in the Old Rome district.

[@ThePainkiller9995]

@Matthew Hutchinson a huge portion of americans is fat though

[@citiesskyscrapers4561]

Awesome video!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks!

[@Derpster2493]

If you bought C64 in the eighties you could build your own Rome in a day, according to the advertisement.

[@mirkoIncertiFornaciari]

As an italian, in love with your channel, I liked hearing you talk about Rome, I didn't know about this map so I checked the website and it's super interesting

[@CityBeautiful]

You don’t want Rome to become a sterile museum, though! Successful cities are constantly reinventing themselves.

[@Deng23G]

A similarly incredible city map is the Vienna part of this early 19th century cadastral map of the Habsburg empire: mapire.eu/en/map/cadastral. My favourite map is probably the ferraris map though. It was created only a couple of decades after the Nolli map, covers what was then the southern Netherlands (currently Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of the netherlands and small parts of germany), has incredible detail and is simply gorgeous. mapire.eu/en/map/belgium-1777. The site I've linked to actually has lots of beautiful old huge maps, all geo-referenced!

[@CityBeautiful]

This is ART. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@CityBeautiful]

Just replying again to say that I'll be spending WAY too much time poring over the details of this.

[@dirus3142]

No matter how much loving detail a DM puts into their map the players will only care about were the tavern, blacksmith, magic shop, and temple are.

[@fjellyo3261]

What did you study? I am studying geography so your channel is really interesting for me :)

[@CityBeautiful]

I have degrees in city planning and architecture. I'm currently getting a PhD in city planning. Glad you like the channel (and geography is awesome!).

[@HammaneggsAirborne]

I'm a Geography major as well, probably going to go for the Metropolitan Area Planning degree when I transfer to Sac State next year. :D

[@fjellyo3261]

Robert Hamman interesting :). I am from Germany.

[@CityBeautiful]

Woo Sacramento!

[@allamasadi7970]

City Beautiful geography and geopolitics is a subject that has blown up on KZbin amongst educated people. Just look at Wendover Productions, Visual politik, Real Life Lore and Geography Now channels!

[@stizanley3987]

Lol, I dont know why I like this, but great video.

[@thecapacitor1395]

You really want to see some mad accuracy for it's time? Check out William Roy's map of Scotland made from 1747-1755 Highlands - maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=6&lat=57.2056&lon=-2.5489&layers=3&b=1 Lowlands - maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=6&lat=57.2056&lon=-2.5489&layers=4&b=1 Sure it's not accurate on street level scale, but on a country wide scale it's impressive.

[@K1W1fly]

What a Beautiful map! No wonder you are excited by it.

[@theItalianshamrock]

How long did it take him to create the map...?

[@PastPresented]

Not long, only about 12 years.

[@martinum4]

Nolli would have loooved OpenStreetMap, he could mapped all the details and more :)

[@ShaunakDe]

Cartography is indeed an art!

[@albertopolidori5321]

i have a part of it in my condominium's hall! I didn't know it was so amazing!!!

[@Nevir202]

Not really what you were asking for, but the only map I’ve found that really seemed to grab me was the Imis Geographics “The Essential Geography of the United States of America”. I found it interesting that there was still, in the era of satellite and Google Maps, someone trying to bring some artistry to map making.

[@CityBeautiful]

I really want that map -- it's been sitting in my Amazon wish list and I just haven't pulled the trigger yet.

[@Nevir202]

City Beautiful Same here. I really would like the full package, archival print and framed, but my wallet flees every time.

[@shobud7943]

can you talk about nyc mta & y it sucks

[@sg27182]

For us American viewers 2 meters is six feet.

[@elizabethhenning778]

2 square meters ≈ 21 sq ft ≈ 4.5 ft on a side

[@roeese1]

Nolli didn't completely survey Rome. He based his map off of earlier maps, e.g. the Bufalini's Map of Rome, and other sources. www.studiumurbis.org/rome-maps/

[@huubjoanfranssen8980]

Funny, my Urban planning Professor at the time suggested to play Sim City. I gave him at the time the latest version of Sim City. By chance I met a friend of his son. He told me his wife was complaining that he was Playing SimCity “All” day. Some student had given it to him... “Oeps” ;-)

[@ikmarchini]

Google's satellite based maps are a disaster. Detail is not clear. And they either don't label or worse mislabel many streets and roads. House numbers and route numbers are inaccurate. The farther you get from Mountain View CA the worse they are. In Europe Google maps are only partially usable and beyond Europe they are useless. it's too bad they have cornered the market. I'm waiting for a start-up to knock them out of the internet box. The best street map of Rome I've seen is the Michelin at 1:10000, even if it doesn't show every McDonald's.

[@MAlanThomasII]

The digital humanities aspect of this is the coolest to me.

[@tomwithuhn9472]

I can’t help it. First comment on your feed. That was a great video. FYI you do have room for that map. Get it and wall-paper / modgepodge it to the celing of your man cave.

[@MrShaunG]

Bruh you got me so interested in this freaking map lol!!! Great work on all your videos, I’ve been watching back to back for a week now lol

[@movax20h]

Who the hell makes a website in a flash this day? I didn't use flash in 10 years. The map doesn't work on any modern computer.

[@cuthbertmilligen]

I immediately went to the named website, but it uses Adobe Flash which my OS now does not support due to viruses. Is there an alternative?

[@yorktown99]

Did you shoot this on location at Pasadena City College?

[@sipperofsoup]

Aaaak! Please handle library materials more carefully! (Love your channel!)

[@CityBeautiful]

No maps were hurt in the making of this video.

[@cineoitoum]

The guy was the Human Street Viewer

[@jeiku5314]

Haha, I got scammed at Piazza Navona

[@ccubsfan94]

Yet rockstar couldn't even make more interiors other than your house and gas stations.

[@13robj]

The production quality of your channel is top notch! You touch on some really unique video topics, and always keep me interested! You have quickly become one of my favorite channels!

[@CityBeautiful]

Thanks, that's great to hear! I'll do my best to keep it up.

[@jennaaaaaaxx]

Why go to all that effort to make a map when you could of just looked at Google Maps?

[@ihsanrafsanjaniindra9864]

can u put the subtitle? please

[@AlejandroCOT]

You should check out Pedro Texeira’s map of Madrid in 1656

[@cragbum87]

You say "Why did he bother to do this? Because that's how a person experiences Rome." Do you mean he created this map for the people of the day? If so, were maps of this detail readily copied? If so, how? If they were not readily copied, who would use this map, and why? Awesome video btw! Glad KZbin recommended it.

[@PastPresented]

He created two versions, the one featured here, and a single-sheet version at much reduced scale (usually known as the _Pianta piccola_ ). Tourists could trace details from the large map into their notebooks before setting off on an excursion, and carry the _Pianta piccola_ to navigate between the sites which interested them.

[@BobBob-of7fg]

Thank you very cool

[@BrunaTejoPB]

im an architecture and urbanism student and im so happy to find your channel!! it's absolutely amazing

[@NexuJin]

I never heard of the Nolli map. I'm glad you mentioned it and showcased it. It's just an amazing piece work of art.

[@cassiuscyparissus5567]

Venturi did a similar map on Las vegas

[@GnarfeBigueBausse]

I just discovered your channel (thanks to the SimCity video :) ) and, wow, this map is wonderful ! Its size immediately reminded me of my favourite map : the Turgot Map of Paris (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turgot_map_of_Paris). It predates the Nolli map by a decade and is nowhere near as technical as the latter, being a bird's eye view of the city. But it is a marvelous sight, and very informative as what the place would have looked like in the 18th century.

[@sng1867]

Just purchased mine in Amazon! I've been looking to decorate my apartment's walls, but nothing caught my attention, until now!

[@DeerKoden]

It is a worthy map to look at. Rome has several levels of ruins or remains underground. Even the buildings around the Fori Imperiali are basically built upon other remains and might hide some pretty valuable item or remain. Despite being mapped over the centuries, Rome isn't exactly a place without its own hidden secrets....

[@constantinosschinas4503]

beautiful. *12 years, 12 plates.* would be nice to mention how many people worked. wonder why he chose sectioning the buildings in black and not showing roof structures. he could have combined sections and sectioned top views as well. interesting he shows the interior of big buildings as public spaces.

[@theoshouse8215]

Hello, I live in Seattle and I have an interesting issue I think you could do a video on. In Seattle, we have a great bus system, but recently in downtown, the city has built these (expensive) streetcars. They don't seem to be any better than buses because they run right in the street where they also get stuck in traffic. Nobody uses them, they aren't practical, and I'm wondering if they are a big waste of tax dollars. What do you think? It would be great if you made a video on these. Thanks

[@brendanregs]

Amateur city enthusiast here- love all your videos, keep it up!

[@levoGAMES]

Hey! This is library!

[@FranciscoFRAO]

This is so awesome!!! I am super fan of map and this is mystical! The knowledge in surveying and the use of simple tools is outstanding! Awesome man! Do more videos, I am almost finished (in 2 days lol)!

[@Farto126]

Vatican City was bigger?

[@koninkrijkdernederlanden8711]

5:15 Well, just use Trump's wall. That one is big enough for this map.

[@Nathouuuutheone]

That is inspiring for artists and writers also (along with world creators and game-masters)

[@wartem]

This guy maps

[@ifigureditout999]

Rome had mastery of some form nanotech, so it makes sense their maps would be on fleek

[@Zamouzik]

Love the contrast of your voice between the library and at home

[@stepawayful]

Unavailable on Amazon. 😢

[@ph11p3540]

Big downside of this map is it does not label the different kinds of roads or critical info for driving around with. Highly detailed maps like this put too much detail in and if there is construction changes to the city then that portion of the map is out of date. I like my local city map as it provides just enough detail and yet if a new building or change in road is done then I have space on the map to draw an arrow or pencil in a new building with it's name because everything is printed in light inks.

[@brmartin]

right on my birthday

[@olemew]

What an amazing piece of work.

[@eduardocajias5626]

More videos about maps, please!

[@lolzorzegiknietWoWzz]

again proving that north doesnt have to be up

[@sarcasmo57]

Google maps does a pretty good job

[@repairdrive]

Amazing! I love this stuff

[@Gummibaerchen234]

this is laybaly