One city, different views: a comparative study of three pilgrimage maps of Jerusalem

Abstract

Among the early printed maps of Jerusalem there is a special group of realistic maps, which should be identified as pilgrimage maps. They were based on an actual acquaintance with the city, and drawn by pilgrims or for them. These maps depicted Jerusalem as the Holy City for Christianity; portraying the city through the eyes of the Christian pilgrims, and reflecting their perceptions, excitement and devotion. They often underscored the city's religious sites and traditions, and undermined certain elements of the city's actual cultural and religious landscape. In this paper, a comparative content analysis of three pilgrimage maps, one in Latin, one in Greek and one in German, will be presented. The aim of this comparison is to examine how attitudes, messages and ideas were conveyed, by the mapmakers to their readers. A detailed analysis demonstrates that although these three maps are almost identical in shape, they represent in fact three conceptual images of the Holy City, each drawn by its maker, through his own perception, depicting the Holy City in his own eyes, heart and mind.