The historical map was compiled by the French military cartographer Pierre Lapie (1777-1850), drawing on data and information provided by the distinguished soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars, Guilleminot and Tromelin.
The first big one map of the Revolutionary period This year marks the 200th anniversary of its publication and was presented today to the general public in full, in an exhibition at Central Library of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), organized by the Library and Information Center of AUTh and the Laboratory of Cartography and Geographical Analysis of the Department of Agronomy and Surveying Engineering of the Polytechnic School of AUTh, with the support of the Educational Foundation Sylvia Ioannou and Galstonos I Galnistos, General
The historical map, which consists of fifteen sheets, nine of which cover the Greek area, was compiled by French military cartographer Pierre Lapie (Pierre Lapie, 1777-1850), drawing on data and information provided by the distinguished soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars, Guilleminot and Tromelin.
In exhibition are presented in full size (150×200 cm.) but also ―for the first time― all the sheets separately with high fidelity digital zoom processing, to facilitate the readability of their rich content. A sheet of the map includes an insert depicting Thessaloniki within its walls, including those along the coast, from the “gunpowder tower” in the west to the “tower of blood” (White Tower) in the east.
The report is completed with selected related books from the Trikoglio Library of the Central Library of AUTh and is accompanied by explanatory-communication material and the places of the most important events of 1822 (according to the relevant catalog of GEETHA, 2021), so that the places of the Race are searched and recognized on the map by visitors of the report.
“Knowledge of history is the only stable compass to move forward in the future”
The strong symbolism of the anniversary exhibition was mentioned by the Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor Nikos Papaioannou during his speech at the opening ceremony. “Through the unique research work presented, critical lessons from the course of the modern Greek state are highlighted, as well as current issues”, he pointed out, explaining that “in the turbulent period that the planet is experiencing, but also in our neighborhood, everyone can understand the power of the map, in the modern domination of visual rhetoric in diplomacy but also in every aspect of life “.
At the same time, as he added, the obligation of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and its Library is being fulfilled. “To contribute through the study and promotion of valuable items and rare collections, to a life-giving and at the same time bold account of historical events”.
“Knowledge of history is the only stable compass to walk in the future with confidence, self-knowledge and the prospect of progress and prosperity. For this reason it is important to say that the study of history requires in-depth research, with courage, honesty and dedication, characteristics that distinguish the people who worked on this report. Professors of Aristotle, who have dedicated decades of their lives to research, teaching, writing, for the cultivation of geographical and cartographic education, integrated in a framework of historical knowledge and awareness, as it characterizes other European peoples “pointed out the rector of AUTh, adding that “We see in this exhibition the creative re-approach of digital technologies with the humanities.
Investing in knowledge is the only answer, the only way, the only choice: For a university that honors its public character and reciprocates the society that supports and funds it. For a society that seeks progress and prosperity in cohesion. For a nation that guards its sovereignty with unityconcluded the rector of AUTh.
The Consul General of France and Director of the French Institute of Thessaloniki Sandrine Mousse pointed out in her greeting that “France over the centuries has contributed decisively to the field of Cartography worldwide”, while noting that for Greece “There have been many attempts at mapping, from the time of Louis XIV to the 17th century, mainly in the mapping of the Aegean Sea and the lands of the Peloponnese.”
He noted that last Friday he was given a tour of the Central Library of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and was informed about the unique items of the Trikoglou Collection by the Emeritus Professor of Cartography at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Evangelos Livieratos and the professor and director of the Cartography Laboratory Chrysoula Botris.
“The large collection of Ioannis Trikoglou includes important treasures and some of them have been created by the French or are written in French. […] Today we are here on the occasion of the famous map of Pierre Lapi, a map that has exceptional historical significance since it was the first to be published after the beginning of the Greek revolution of 1821 »pointed out Ms. Mousse and referred to the work of the captain, engineer and cartographer Lapi, who “He made globes, atlases, maps and various works with great precision which was extremely useful to both diplomats and the military” and “as diplomats, academics, librarians we know very well the importance of maps.”
“The cartographers of the Revolutionary period”
In Revolutionary period of Greece, from 1821 until the last battle of Petra in Boeotia in 1829, three multi-page (large) maps of Greek interest were published: two in Paris in 1822 and 1826 and one in Vienna in 1829; in 1823 another multi-page map was completed in Vienna. of Greek interest, this manuscript, which began to be written in 1819, with a prominent reference to the strength of the Greek merchant fleet of about six hundred large and small ships. The creators of these maps were two military cartographers: the Frenchman Pierre Lapie (1777-1850) and the Austrian Franz von Weiss (1791-1858). These military-type maps can be considered the most important of the Revolutionary period along with the smaller scale map (book-map) of the famous scholar Barbié du Bocage (1760-1825) printed in 1821, based on the tours of Pouqueville ( 1770-1838).
The cartographer Pierre Lapie was born in the city of Mézières in the Ardennes in 1777. He studied at the military school of his hometown for 13 years (founded in 1748), before being sent at the age of sixteen to Paris (1793) to the survey office of the public health committee. After the Coup d’État de Fructidor’s coup d’état in 1797, he took up duties in the military cartographic service, the Dépôt de la guerre. He took part as a captain-engineer-geographer in Napoleon’s campaign against the Austrians in Italy (at the Battle of Marengo, 1800) and then against the Austrians and Russians (in Austerlitz, 1805). He compiled maps of France’s great topographic works until 1814, when he took over the management of the king’s topographic office. After the abolition of this office he was named head of the topographic squadron for the new “Map of France” and wrote a large number of maps depicting areas of all continents.
The Exhibition on the ground floor of the Central Library of AUTh will last until November 2022.
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