Cartographica Helvetica

Summary

Anton Gattlen:

The oldest map of Wallis (Valais) canton

Cartographica Helvetica 5 (1992) 31–40

Summary:

The oldest cartographic representation of the Wallis on the scale of approx. 1:200,000 is also the first map of a single Swiss canton and one of the earliest regional maps of the alpine countries ever published. It was printed by Sebastian Münster in 1545. The present author describes three different editions (Ptolemy, Cosmographia, and a special edition). He proves that the original manuscript map was drawn in 1536 by Johann Schalbetter and not, as so far assumed, by Johann Kalbermatten. Surprisingly, the Schalbetter map did not influence the cartographic picture of the Wallis much during the following decades.

An index further lists all the geographical names appearing on the map and their transcription into today's literary terminology.

Bibliographic note

Edited version of: Zur Geschichte der ältesten Walliserkarte. In: Vallesia 8 (1953) pp. 101–120.
With a 'Postscript' by Arthur Dürst, Zürich.