Luxembourg
National Atlases
The national atlas tradition of Luxembourg is a modest yet distinctive thread within the broader European cartographic tapestry. Though the Grand Duchy’s small size might suggest limited output, its two national atlases, spanning nearly four decades, reveal a deliberate effort to document national identity through spatial representation. The first, published in 1971 under the aegis of the Ministry of National Education, marked a formal state-backed attempt to synthesize geographical, historical, and social data into a cohesive national portrait. Its bilingual nature (German and French) reflected the country’s linguistic duality, serving both scholarly and civic purposes. The second, appearing in 2009, was a collaborative scholarly endeavor, edited by seven academics and featuring contributions from over eighty specialists across five thematic sections—history, cities, nature, and beyond. This later work demonstrates an evolution from a state-directed project to a more pluralistic, research-driven model, emphasizing interdisciplinary depth and public accessibility. Together, these atlases have not only consolidated Luxembourg’s cartographic heritage but also provided a template for small nations to assert their presence in the international atlas community, influencing subsequent regional and thematic mapping initiatives.
Versions and Their Documents
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Journal Article1972Cartographical Survey: Atlas du Luxembourg
H. Fullard
This article reviews three types of French cartographic publications: the aquifer atlas of the Paris region, the national atlas of Luxembourg, and tourist maps produced by the Institut Géographique National. The Paris aquifer atlas systematically presents the complex multi-layered aquifer structure of the region at scales of 1:200,000 and 1:500,000, covering hydrogeological conditions, hydrochemical characteristics, and exploitation potential. Despite issues such as inconsistent scales and unwieldy format, it is regarded as a significant contribution to regional hydrogeological mapping. The Luxembourg atlas, prepared by the University of Nottingham in collaboration with Luxembourg experts, covers six thematic sections including history, physical conditions, administration, demography, economic activities, and social services, providing rich baseline geographic information, though text-map coordination could be improved. The IGN tourist maps cater to diverse user groups (motorists, hikers, skiers, etc.) with various scales and thematic content, reflecting the professionalization trend in tourist cartography.
- Journal Article2010Der Luxemburg-Atlas
Ein Bestseller
This is an academic book review of the Luxemburg-Atlas, published in late 2009. Edited by seven scholars, the atlas comprises 95 thematic articles (46 in German, 49 in French) organized into five sections: history, cities and projects, nature and environment, economy and mobility, and society and culture. The review highlights the atlas's innovative approach of combining maps with textual analysis to present the spatial and social complexity of Luxembourg, praising its original cartography. However, the author also raises critical points, including outdated data in some contributions, insufficient map annotations, and incomplete coverage of certain topics. Overall, the review deems the atlas an outstanding reference work that demonstrates the value of geography in regional studies, noting its long-standing position at the top of local bestseller lists.
From the Physical Collection
Photographs are being prepared for this hall.