Created in 1525 by order of Emperor Charles V: one of the first maps of the world in history, which depicts the earth in spherical form
Castiglioni World Map
Seville (Spain) — 1525

Castiglioni World Map
Seville (Spain) — 1525
This highly accurate world map was created by Diego Ribeiro in 1525 at the behest of Emperor Charles V (1500–58)
The high-quality sea chart is one of the first maps in which the world is visualized in its spherical form
This map was consulted by seafarers and served the expansion and control of Spanish sea trade

Castiglioni World Map
LINEA EQVINOCCIAL
Surrounded by a compass with very precise gradients labelled CIRCVLUS SOLARIS, which is also features the months of the year and the corresponding zodiac symbols, the equator (in red) is labeled here with a stylized banderole. The Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer (also in red) flank the Equator and barely come into contact with the compass. Carefully plotted portolan lines radiate from the middle of the compass, the composition of which speaks to the skill of the cartographer.
Castiglioni World Map
- Planisfero Castiglioni
- Castiglioni-Weltkarte
Short Description
The Castiglioni World Map originated in the year 1525 in Seville, Spain. It was produced by Diego Ribeiro, the managing cartographer of the Spanish cartography school. The map arose at the behest of Emperor Charles V, who transferred it to the distinguished count and author Baldassare Castiglioni as a gift.
Castiglioni World Map
In the Middle Ages there arose atlases and maps completely without technical aids. Appearing even more astounding and admirable to us today are the works by medieval cartographers which still survive. A particularly influential map originated from 1525 in the Spanish city of Seville. The Castiglioni World Map is the masterpiece of the Renaissance scholar Diego Ribeiro. The cartographer made his famous map at the behest of Charles V, who later presented it to the Spanish count, diplomat, and writer Baldassare Castiglioni as a gift. The high-quality sea chart is one of the first maps in which the world is visualized in its spherical form.
The Spanish Cartography of the Renaissance
In the 16th century, Spain and Portugal were Europe’s most successful colonial powers. Numerous discoveries and settlements in previously unexplored regions took place under Iberian flags. The many expeditions and discoveries of the Spanish additionally lead to the settlement here of the most modern school of cartography at the time. The “Casa da Contratatión”, founded in 1503, was a royal authority for the management of all Spanish expeditions of exploration and conquest in the New World. Some of the most important maps and sea charts of the Middle Ages originated from there. Diego Ribeiro was the managing cartographer of the Casa da Contratatión. His Castiglioni World Map did not merely serve the publication and circulation of new geographical information. They were primarily used for seafaring. After its creation, the Castiglioni World Map was consulted by seafarers and served the expansion and control of Spanish sea trade. After the map was transferred from Emperor Charles V to its latter Spanish owner, Baldassare Castiglioni, it remained for a long time in the private library of the count. In the year 2000, the important historical document was transferred to the Biblioteca Estense Universitaria in Italian Modena. Here it was part of an exhibition on the development of cartography in Europe until 2002. Today the influential world map is still stored in the Estense library.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Planisfero Castiglioni
Castiglioni-Weltkarte - Type
- Map on parchment
- Size / Format
- 1 map / 81.5 x 214.0 cm
- Origin
- Seville (Spain)
- Date
- 1525
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Artist / School
- Diego Ribeiro, head cartographer of the Casa de Contratación in Seville
- Previous Owners
- Baldassarre Castiglioni (1478–1529)

Castiglioni World Map
The Known World in 1525
Despite lacking the use of satellites or computer modelling, Diego Ribeiro managed to create this surprisingly accurate albeit incomplete map of the world. Nonetheless, what areas of the world Europeans had explored up to this point are recreated here with a truly unbelievable degree of precision.
This is a testament to Ribeiro’s skill as the managing cartographer of the famous Casa da Contratatión, the royal authority for Spain’s geographical information that could often be a state secret. Although this map could be used for practical purposes, it was gifted by Emperor Charles V to the Spanish count, diplomat, and writer Baldassare Castiglioni as a splendid gift meant to indicate the sophistication and “worldliness” of the owner.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Castiglioni World Map“
Planisfero Castiglioni
- Publisher
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Modena, 2001
- Limited Edition
- 499 copies
- Commentary
-
1 volume by Roberto Bini, Ernesto Milan and Annalisa Battini
Language: Italian - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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