17th century plan of Moscow

A foundational early plan of Moscow, originally engraved by Hessel Gerritsz c. 1613 and later incorporated into the atlases of Willem Janszoon Blaeu. The map provides a detailed view of the city shortly after the Time of Troubles, reflecting Moscow at the beginning of the Romanov period. The map centres on the Kremlin, with the city arranged in its characteristic concentric divisions, including Kitaygorod and the surrounding fortified districts. Streets, rivers, churches, and principal buildings are carefully delineated. Notable for its early use of Cyrillic lettering alongside Latin, the map reflects Western engagement with Russian sources. An extensive key, presented on a decorative scroll, identifies numerous civic, religious, and military sites, while a heraldic cartouche with the double-headed eagle of the Tsardom of Russia reinforces the political context. The map exists in two states: the first state (c. 1613) shows the key on the right within a lightly outlined, unfinished scroll. In the second state, as issued in Blaeu’s atlases, the scroll is fully engraved and more elaborately finished.