German Empire Topographic Maps at 1:100,000 Scale, Sheet 316 Belzig

The German Empire's first large-scale topographic map series, produced between 1878 and 1909. The map of the German Empire at 1:100,000 scale comprises 675 sheets covering the entire territory of the Reich at that time. It was produced by the states of Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony under the coordination of the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie.

Use Cases

• Analyze historical land cover and settlement patterns based on the detailed topographic map content.
• Study the evolution of cartographic techniques based on the polyhedral projection and sheet layout described.
• Conduct comparative historical geography based on the uniform coverage of the Reich territory.
• Digitize and georeference historical features for longitudinal analysis based on the standardized map sheet format.

Strengths

• Comprises 675 map sheets providing uniform coverage of the historical German Empire.
• Designed at a detailed 1:100,000 scale with an average map sheet format of 35 cm x 28 cm, corresponding to an area of 35 km x 28 km.
• Represents a foundational cartographic work considered the 'general staff map par excellence' for a long period.

Limitations

• Last updated 1938-01-01 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie

Collection Method

Cartographic surveying and production by the states of Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony.

Time Range

Production decided 1878, series completed 1909.

Freshness

1938-01-01

Geography

Territory of the German Empire (Reich) as of the late 19th/early 20th century.