Prussian Urmesstischblätter: Hand-Drawn 1:25,000 Topographic Maps from 1822

Beginning in 1822, the Prussian Urmesstischblätter were hand-drawn, one-off topographic maps at a scale of 1:25,000 for the entire territory of Prussia. They were produced by the Royal Prussian General Staff and mark the beginning of modern topographic cartography. The specific sheet 3340 Rathenow is available as a high-quality plot.

Use Cases

• Analyze historical land use and settlement patterns based on the detailed hand-drawn cartography.
• Study the evolution of topographic map design based on the foundational standards set in 1821.
• Georeference historical features onto modern maps using the precise 1:25,000 scale.

Strengths

• Maps are foundational to modern topographic cartography, as stated in the description.
• Individual sheets have been reworked for higher quality and similarity to the original.
• Production followed a formal instruction and sample sheet system established in 1821.

Limitations

• Last updated 1840-01-01 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie

Collection Method

Hand-drawn cartographic production by the Royal Prussian General Staff.

Time Range

Production began in 1822. The specific sheet date is unknown.

Geography

Prussia, specifically the area around Rathenow (sheet 3340).