Old Map of Bohemia and Moravia by Daniel Lizars, c.1831

Daniel Lizars’ Map of Bohemia and Moravia

This detailed old map of Bohemia and Moravia was published in Edinburgh by Daniel Lizars circa 1831. Its engraved title, Bohemia & Moravia, Provinces of Austria, reflects the political geography of Central Europe during the early nineteenth century.

The map appeared in The Edinburgh Geographical and Historical Atlas, an ambitious collection intended to present the countries and political divisions of the world through clear, carefully engraved maps. Colour was added by hand to distinguish territorial and administrative boundaries.

Map Details

• Original title: Bohemia & Moravia, Provinces of Austria
• Regions shown: Bohemia, Moravia and neighbouring parts of Central Europe
• Principal cities: Prague, Brno and Olomouc
• Publisher: Daniel Lizars
• Published: Edinburgh, circa 1831
• Atlas: The Edinburgh Geographical and Historical Atlas
• Approximate scale: 1:930,000
• Original map dimensions: Approximately 50 × 40 cm
• Format: Hand-coloured engraved map
• Relief: Mountainous terrain represented by hachures
• Other features: Roads, rivers, forests, towns and administrative divisions

Bohemia and Moravia within the Austrian Empire

Bohemia and Moravia were two historic lands of the Bohemian Crown. By the time this map was published, both belonged to the Austrian Empire under the Habsburg monarchy. They retained distinct regional identities even though they were governed within a much larger multinational state.

Bohemia occupies the western portion of the engraving, while Moravia lies to the east. Surrounding territories include Bavaria, Saxony, Silesia, Austria and Hungary, placing the two provinces within the wider geography of Central Europe.

The map predates the political upheavals of 1848, the creation of Austria-Hungary in 1867 and the establishment of Czechoslovakia in 1918. It therefore records the region at a particularly interesting point between the Napoleonic era and the transformations of later nineteenth-century Europe.

Prague and the Landscape of Bohemia

Prague, marked on the map as Prague, is the principal city of Bohemia. It stands beside the River Moldau, now generally known by its Czech name, the Vltava. The river flows northwards before joining the Elbe, or Labe, one of the major waterways crossing the province.

A dense network of roads radiates from Prague towards towns including Pilsen, Budweis, Eger, Reichenberg, Königgrätz and Pardubitz. Today these places are more commonly known as Plzeň, České Budějovice, Cheb, Liberec, Hradec Králové and Pardubice.

The enclosed physical character of Bohemia is particularly clear. Bands of engraved mountain relief surround much of the province, representing ranges that include the Bohemian Forest, Ore Mountains and Sudetes. These natural boundaries helped shape Bohemia as a recognisable geographical and historical region.

Moravia, Brno and Olomouc

Moravia extends eastwards from the Bohemian highlands towards Silesia and Hungary. Brünn, now Brno, is prominently marked in the southern part of the province, while Olmütz, now Olomouc, appears farther north.

Other recorded places include Iglau, Znaim and Kremsier, known today as Jihlava, Znojmo and Kroměříž. Roads link these towns with Prague, Vienna, Silesia and the Hungarian lands, showing Moravia’s importance as a route between northern and southern Central Europe.

The River March, now the Morava, gives the region its name and forms one of the principal geographical features of the eastern part of the map. Numerous smaller rivers descend from the surrounding uplands and converge upon its valley.

Historical and Modern Place Names

Many place names appear in German forms because the map was produced for a British atlas during the period of Habsburg rule. Czech names were already used locally, but German versions were common in administrative records and internationally published maps.

This creates a valuable record for family and local-history research. A modern reader may recognise Prague immediately, while other places become identifiable through pairs such as Brünn and Brno, Olmütz and Olomouc, or Budweis and České Budějovice.

The map’s considerable density rewards close inspection. Alongside the larger cities are hundreds of market towns, villages, rivers and routes, including communities that rarely appear on less detailed maps of Europe.

Reading the Early Nineteenth-Century Map

The engraved roads show how people travelled between the principal towns before railways transformed the region. Routes follow river valleys and cross the mountain borders through a limited number of natural passes.

Fine hachured lines convey the direction and steepness of the surrounding uplands. Forests are shown through patterned areas, while coloured outlines separate provinces and internal divisions without obscuring the printed detail.

More than a decorative representation, Lizars’ map captures the geography of Bohemia and Moravia at the beginning of the modern age. For anyone with connections to Prague, Brno, Olomouc, Plzeň or the surrounding countryside, it provides an absorbing view of the Czech lands nearly two centuries ago.