Cartography

The Maritime Museum nautical charts collection

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Nautical charts are an important tool available to navigators, enabling a more accurate knowledge of the respective position. In Portugal, the existence of numerous cartographers with a high professional level was a fundamental factor for the success of the Explorations.

Fragment of a chart of the Pacific Ocean (1585) by Anonymous (but probably by Luís Teixeira)Portuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Fragment of a chart of the Pacific Ocean

Fragment of a chart representing part of the Pacific Ocean. It is the oldest known chart with lines with equal magnetic variation.

Fragment of a chart of the Atlantic Ocean (c. 1601 - c. 1700) by Domingos TeixeiraPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Fragment of a chart of the Atlantic Ocean

Served as a cover for a book of scriptures from 1570, and it belonged to the Museum and Library of Torres Vedras. It depicts part of the Atlantic Ocean and the coast of Africa between Cape Bojador and Sierra Leone, and part of the Brazilian coast.

Chart of the City and Port of Nagasaki (c. 1601 - c. 1700) by AnonymousPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the City and Port of Nagasaki

This painting from the beginning of the Edo period, mid-seventeenth century, depicts a plan of the port of Nagasaki with the Portuguese galleons São João and Santo André. These ships carried the embassy sent by King João IV, aiming to resume the relations with Japan.

Chart of the Indian Ocean (1681) by José da Costa MirandaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the Indian Ocean

The oldest known nautical chart, of Portuguese origin, in Mercator projection.

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean (1681) by José da Costa MirandaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean

One of the oldest nautical charts, of Portuguese origin, in Mercator projection.

Planisphere (1720) by Eusébio da CostaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Planisphere

Planisphere Illuminated planisphere representing all the continents known when it was drawn.

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean (1721) by Eusébio da CostaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean

This illuminated manuscript on parchment depicts the Atlantic ocean and the European, African and American cost lines. It shows some burnt parts, but that does not diminish its beauty.

Chart of the Indian Ocean (c. 1801 - c. 1900) by AnonymousPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the Indian Ocean


This illuminated manuscript on parchment depicts part of the Indian Ocean and the Arabia, East Africa and West India coast lines.

Indian Ocean (1747) by João de Abreu GorjãoPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Indian Ocean

Mercator projection chart representing the Indian Ocean. The oldest chart in this projection belongs to the collections at the Maritime Museum. It is signed by Luís Francisco Pimentel, proving that he must have certified it, as he was the cosmographer-major.

Map of Tagus, from the town of Tancos up to Vila Franca de Xira (1784) by AnonymousPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Map of Tagus, from the town of Tancos up to Vila Franca

This illustration was taken from Mappa Geral das Lezírias e Coutadas, which was designed by order of the Secretary of State, in 1770. It was updated in 1784, in order to include the changes caused by the currents.

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean (1772) by Manuel Ferreira PortugalPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Chart of the Atlantic Ocean

Mercator projection chart representing the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. 

Porto Santo Island (c. 1800) by Faustino Salustiano da CostaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Porto Santo Island

Geographic map of Porto Santo island, ordered by Martinho de Melo e Castro, Secretary of State for the Navy and Overseas Affairs.

Plan of the Port of Prince in Trindade Island (1783) by Agostinho José Marques RosaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Plan of the Port of Prince in Trindade Island

Between 1781 and 1783 Trindade Island was occupied by the british. In 1783 a fleet, commanded by José de Mello Breyner, sailed to the Island in order to monitor the British evacuation off the island. This one and the next two cards were produced at that time.

Plan of the Trindade Island (1783) by Agostinho José Marques RosaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Plan of the Trindade Island

This is the second card produced at that time.

Sights of Trindade Island (1783) by Agostinho José Marques RosaPortuguese Maritime Museum, a world of discoveries

Sights of Trindade Island

This is the third card produced at that time.

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