THE CITY OF JERUSALEM ON THE ROUND CRUSADER MAPS

Abstract

With the Crusaders taking Jerusalem in 1099, the city became a crucial centre for Christians. Since
then, many pilgrims have come to visit the city. During the time when Jerusalem was under the rule
of the Crusaders (1099-1187), many maps depicting the city were drawn. The general name of these
maps, which show Jerusalem under the rule of the Crusaders, is Crusader Maps, and there are
different types. However, what they have in common is that all of these maps are drawn very
schematically. There are fourteen Crusader Maps of Jerusalem identified today. Although 11 of
these maps is in the form of a round, it is thought that they were drawn or copied in the 13th and
14th centuries. Maps reflect the general characteristics of the period in which they were drawn. The
article is based on the general features of these maps, known as the Crusader Maps, how the city of
Jerusalem was depicted in the aforementioned period and the examination of the urban texture.