In a long, bright corridor in the Vatican Palace is one of the world’s treasures: The Gallery of Maps. Lined with forty richly decorated map frescoes of Italy and its regions, the Gallery offers a walking-tour of Italian history and geography. All forty of these extraordinary frescoes are thoroughly discussed and splendidly illustrated in this volume.Designed by Egnazio Danti, a well-known cosmographer and mathematician, the Gallery of Maps is the most original and ambitious cycle of its kind. It remains, to this day, the largest cycle of geographical images in Europe. For the art lover, map lover, and historian, The Gallery of Maps in the Vatican provides an excellent introduction to this glorious masterpiece.