Beginning in 1822, Prussian cartographers produced hand-drawn, one-off topographic maps at a scale of 1:25,000. These Prussian Original Survey Sheets were not published but served as the foundational basis for smaller-scale maps, marking the start of modern topographic cartography. The dataset includes individual map sheets, some of which have been reworked to more closely resemble the original color scheme.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical land use and settlement patterns based on the hand-drawn topographic features.
- Study the evolution of cartographic design and standards based on the 1821 Royal Prussian General Staff instructions.
- Georeference and compare historical landscapes with modern maps based on the foundational survey data.
Strengths
- Maps were produced at a detailed 1:25,000 scale.
- Production began in 1822, providing a long historical baseline.
- Individual sheets have been reworked for higher quality and closer resemblance to the originals.
Limitations
- Last updated 1840-12-31 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
Provenance
- Source
- Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
- Collection Method
- Hand-drawn, one-off map sheets produced by Prussian surveyors.
- Time Range
- 1822 onwards
- Freshness
- 1840-12-31
- Geography
- Prussia