Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

Abraham Ortelius's original 1570 edition of the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum contained seventy maps, each accompanied by explanatory text on the facing page. Later editions expanded significantly as new maps were added over successive printings.

It is widely recognized as the first true atlas because Ortelius systematically compiled uniformly styled maps into a single bound volume with consistent formatting and supplementary text. Earlier map collections existed, but none matched its cohesive structure when published in 1570 by Christoph Plantin in Antwerp.

No, Ortelius did not conduct original surveys; he compiled and redrew maps from the work of contemporary cartographers such as Gerardus Mercator and Giacomo Gastaldi. He was notable for including a list of sources, sometimes called the Catalogus Auctorum, crediting the original mapmakers.

The atlas proved immensely popular and went through numerous editions—often cited as around thirty-one editions between 1570 and 1612—published in multiple languages including Latin, Dutch, French, German, and Spanish.