AUTH unveils exhibition of 17th century maps

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Friday unveiled an exhibition of 17th century maps, as part of a broader effort to showcase its library’s excellent collection of rare maps, drawings, books and manuscripts.

The inauguration of the exhibition was attended by French General Consul in Thessaloniki Philippe Ray to mark cooperation between the two countries in the field of the sciences.

The event also coincided with the last day of a conference in the northern port city by the International Cartographic Association.

“The maps that are on show were commissioned by King Louis XIV of France and are a depiction of the Cyclades islands,” Ray said, explaining that the exhibition consists of one collection of maps discovered in the AUTH’s library by professor Evangelos Liveratos, as well as another batch traced by his team to the French military archives.

“The AUTH worked with the French government and the French consulate to bring these two collections together,” said Ray.

A separate show at the AUTH of a selection of its library’s treasures, meanwhile, includes a rare map of the island of Santorini contained in the manuscript of Florentine monk and geographer Cristoforo Buondelmonti’s 1422 “Liber insularum Archipelagi,” on loan from the Ambrosian Library in Milan.

Public opening hours at the library’s exhibition space are Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.