What is 1500 world map?

The 1500 world map, also known as the Cantino Planisphere, was created in 1502 by an anonymous Portuguese cartographer, and is one of the oldest surviving maps showing the New World, including parts of North and South America.

The map is named after Alberto Cantino, an Italian agent for the Duke of Ferrara, who acquired the map in Lisbon, Portugal in 1502. It measures approximately 231 x 96 cm.

The 1500 world map is significant for several reasons. It demonstrates the Portuguese exploration and conquest of the African coast, including the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. It also shows the Portuguese dominance of the Indian Ocean trade routes, including the route to Calicut in India, which Vasco da Gama had discovered in 1498.

The map also provides evidence of Portuguese exploration of the New World, including the voyage of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500, who discovered Brazil. It also includes the first representation of Japan on a European map.

The 1500 world map is considered a valuable historical artifact, with only two surviving copies. One is held at the Biblioteca Estense in Modena, Italy, and the other is held at the National Library of France in Paris.