The 1595 map titled Comorra is a famous copperplate engraving by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel (often credited as G. Houf or Houfnaglius). It depicts the Hungarian city of Komárno (historically Komorn or Comorra), located at the confluence of the Danube and Váh rivers.
It was published in the fifth volume of "Civitates Orbis Terrarum" (Cities of the World), a monumental city atlas by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg.
It consists of two horizontal panoramic views. The upper view shows a sea and land battle involving naval forces, reflecting the city's strategic importance during the Ottoman–Habsburg wars and the lower view shows a detailed topographical perspective of the island fortress.
At the time, Comorra was a vital defensive bastion for the Habsburg Empire against the advancing Ottoman Turks.
The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, also known as the 'Braun & Hogenberg', is a six-volume town atlas of town views and plans comprising of 363 engravings, sometimes hand coloured. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun, a skilled writer, wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572 and the sixth in 1617. Other cartographers also contributed and translations appeared in German and French, making the atlas accessible to a broader audience.
Since its original publication of volume 1 in 1572, the Civitates Orbis Terrarum has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography.
Georg Braun, the author of the text accompanying the plans and views in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice, indicating his commitment to learning and intellectual pursuits. In 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree; in 1562, he received his Magister Artium, further demonstrating his academic achievements. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he continued his studies in theology, gaining a licentiate in theology. His theological background likely influenced the content and tone of the text in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, adding a unique perspective to the work.
Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.
By the end of the 1560s, Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named an engraver of numerous maps. In 1568, he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates, published in 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.
