Jerusalem at the Center
Unlike modern globes, which place no city above another, most medieval maps placed Jerusalem at the very center of the world. This symbolized the belief that it was the spiritual heart of creation. East was often drawn at the top, with the rising sun representing the Garden of Eden. In fact, the word “orientation” comes from “orient,” meaning east.
Blending Fact and Fantasy
Medieval cartographers did not aim for accuracy but for teaching. Rivers, mountains, and cities appeared, but so did biblical events, classical legends, and mythical creatures. The famous Hereford Mappa Mundi (c. 1300) includes everything from the Tower of Babel to unicorns. To the medieval mind, geography was a storybook where faith, history, and the natural world blended seamlessly.
Travel, Trade, and Exploration
Though symbolic, medieval maps also reflected real knowledge. Pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela or Rome appeared, as did trade networks linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Travelers like Marco Polo expanded these horizons, and gradually, maps began to include more accurate coastlines, paving the way for the age of exploration.
From Mappae Mundi to Globes
The transition from medieval maps to globes marked a turning point. By the late 15th century, explorers demanded accuracy, and globes offered a new, scientific way of seeing the Earth. Educational globes today carry echoes of this transformation — from a world defined by stories to a world defined by science.
Why Medieval Maps Still Matter
Medieval maps remind us that geography is more than coordinates; it reflects how societies see themselves in the cosmos. To study a globe is to measure the Earth; to study a medieval map is to measure the human imagination. Together, they show us the journey from mystery to knowledge.
