In the 1700s, the city of Rome became a hub for rich European tourists eager to see the ruined monuments of ancient Rome. This revitalized Rome's economy and the city blossomed with new development. This rich tourism market allowed mapmakers to create some of the earliest most detailed city maps in the history of cartography.
Of note, the mapmaker Giambattista Nolli created the most detailed map of Rome that had ever existed until that point, detailing hidden alleys, the insides of churches and buildings, garden paths, and even the ruins of ancient Rome's dilapidated bridges. Using his map as the basis, this projects seeks to recreate the city through his eyes, and those of other mapmakers; notably Giovanni Battista Falda and Giuseppe Vasi. Using their work, this project will recreate the city of Rome and its surrounding countryside in 1:1 scale.
Rendered view of the Castel Sant'Angelo and Caspar Van Wittel's view of the Vatican (1700-1736)
Aerial view of the walled city
Taken from WorldPainter, a custom map editor for Minecraft that allows heightmaps to be imported. Essentially this software creates an outline of the city to be built on top of.
8-month project
this black and white heighmap combines both GIS DEM data of the metropolitan city of Rome with Nolli's 1750 map of Rome to create a 'basemap' on the left.
Accessioning system
each major landmark that can be crossreferenced to Nolli's Map is given that number at its entrance.
1238 marks the church of the holy spirit (Chiesa Santo Spirito)
creative liberties were taken to keep major landmarks from being built at an angle, but rather at 90* as often ass possible
Screenshot taken at the angle of Vasi's vedute on the right. Note the expanded wing of the Ospedale Santo Spirito which was recently built in the 1750s and removed in the 19th century.
While Vasi's view and Nolli's map are the most important referenced works, much of the city still exists as it did in 1750 and Google Earth/Maps can prove an invaluable data set.
Last updated 7/24/2009. https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/maps/nolli.html
