Holdings of the Map Department

The Map Department looks after about 295,000 sheet maps, 45,000 topographic views, around 800,000 picture postcards, 750 globes, 100 geographical reliefs and models of castles and about 83,000 volumes of specialist literature and atlases.

Almost all of the more recent maps and vedute published in Austria are held here. In terms of foreign publications, we collect mainly official map sets, with a regional focus on Central Europe. Most of the works of literature that are acquired are in the field of the history of geography, cartography and ethnology, geographical travel and exploration and regional and cultural studies of (Old) Austria.

The worldwide reputation of the Map Department is due mainly to its historic collections. One of the most important treasures is the famous “Atlas Blaeu-Van der Hem”, a 50-volume baroque map collection consisting of about 2,100 beautifully coloured copperplate engravings and drawings.