Behold the Largest Atlas in the World: The Six-Foot Tall Klencke Atlas from 1660

September 11th, 2015 1 Comment

Last week, we featured the free digital edition of the The History of Cartography. Or what’s been called “the most ambitious overview of map making ever undertaken.” The three-volume series contains illustrations of countless maps, produced over hundreds of years. And it, of course, references this fine specimen: A gift given to England’s Charles II in 1660, The Klencke Atlas featured state-of-the-art maps of the continents and various European states. It was also notable for its size. Standing six feet tall and six feet wide (when opened), the volume remains 355 years later the largest atlas in the world. Learn more about it with the BBC clip below.