Hartmann Schedel: A chronicle of the world.

The chronicle of the world by Hartmann Schedel appeared in the year 1493, firstly in Latin, later in German. It became most famous because of its well known views of towns - but these views are just a part of the whole illustrations which are represented in that chronical. In total the book represents 1809 woodcuts, which were originally made out of 645 boles.

Schedel’s work is therefore the most illustrative creation which was made during the beginning of book-printing. It is widely known as an outstanding document not only in Germany but also within the whole Western World. It was printed by the most famous printer of Germany in the 15^th century: Anton Kochberger. The illustrations came into being in the biggest workshop for painters in Nürnberg, in a time as Albrecht Dürer just finished his apprenticeship there. The author, Hartmann Schedel, was a doctor and it was he who – among the humanistic bibliophiles of Nürnberg – owned the most extensive private library. This library formed the presupposition for the making of the chronicle. The most important parts of that chronicle are well preserved and stocked in the Bavarian-State-Library.

The eludications of Passau are based on the knowledge and the evident impressions of the geographical circumstances. The confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz and the thereby existing longish formed shape of the town is described exactly - the bridges of Passau are mentioned in addition to that. Schedel exposes furthermore that the construction of the cathedral of Saint Stephan isn’t finished during his time of writing. He also outlined that he knew the interiors of the two episcopal castles (today termed the "Oberhaus" and the "Niederhaus") in Passau. The picture of the engraving above shows Passau from the point of view of the right bank besides the river Inn and can be seen as very authentically.

The connection of Passau to Bohemia and Austria as well as to Upper-Germany is the reason why Passau can be considered as a kind of transit-town. This issue is mentioned in the Schedel documents as followed (Middle High German Language of the 15^th century):

"nach eigenschaft des welschen gezüngs diese stat Passau nennet, das nach art unseres gezüngs soviel ist als durchgang, dann es wardt durch diese stat die welsch kaufmannschaft in das Behmisch lannd gefüret...".