The 2025 calendar of the ELTE University Library and Archives features a selection of images from the atlas Theatrum orbis terrarum (The Theatre of the World's Lands).
The Theatrum of Abraham Ortelius, considered to be his major work, was printed between 1570 and 1612 in several languages, in continually expanded editions, with artistic decoration, most of the maps praising the work of other cartographers rather than Ortelius. The maps covered the world as known at the time, with brief descriptions of the topography, flora, fauna and population of the area. The popularity of the atlas lay not only in its cartographic accuracy, but also in the artistic execution, enhanced by the hand-colouring of each copy. The depiction of marine creatures served not only decorative purposes, but also to promote a broad understanding of the world's wildlife. The ELTE University Library and Archives preserves six different editions dating from 1575 to 1601. The most spectacular of these, from 1592, contains illustrations of animals which, based on the books accepted as authoritative at the time, were considered by scholars to be real creatures. An electronic version of the calendar is available here.
The representative wall calendar was published under the management of the Prime Minister’s Office, with the support of the National Cooperation Fund, the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management Ltd. and the Foundation for the University Library.
For information about the support options of the Foundation for the University Library, please, visit our website. More details about our book adoption program can be found here.
