Vue de la Ville de Casan du côté du Nord-Ouest prise lors du débordement de la Casanka captures Kazan at a moment of drama and revelation: the Kazanka (Casanka) River in flood, viewed from the northwest, with the city rising beyond the swollen banks. The composition makes the riverscape the organizing principle of the urban panorama, drawing the eye from boats at the foreground to a skyline punctuated by towers, cupolas, and fortified walls. As a city map, it is remarkable for showing not just streets and structures, but how a great Volga metropolis is situated within its hydrology—how water, terrain, and human settlement interlock. The bilingual captions deepen its historical resonance, orienting both Russian and European viewers to a complex frontier city.

The view reads like a topographic essay on Kazan’s setting at the meeting of the Volga and Kazanka. High ground holds the fortified heart of the city, while mercantile quarters and workshops descend toward the floodplain, where sheds, gardens, and landing places yield to the current. Groves of trees and low meadows appear half-submerged, turning familiar margins into temporary lakes. Across the river, the Tatar slobodas—longstanding suburban settlements—are implied by clustered roofs and spires that hint at the city’s layered identities. Without overburdening the eye with street labels, the engraving instead clarifies relationships: river to ridge, market to monastery, ferry to road, demonstrating why this is a singularly instructive and beautiful city view.

Dated 1771, the scene doubles as historical testimony, fixing Kazan at a pivotal era when the Volga corridor bound Europe to Siberia and beyond. Flooding here is not mere spectacle; it is a cartographic argument about resilience, siting, and urban form. One sees why quays, causeways, and elevated precincts mattered, and how river traffic threaded the city’s life even in spate—boats tack between copse and bell tower, while inundated fields and banked embankments reveal the seasonal drama that shaped civic planning. For scholars and collectors alike, the plate offers a rare convergence of environmental history and urban portraiture, revealing a metropolis negotiating nature’s reach.

This view belongs to a distinguished suite of early Russian city panoramas along the Volga and into Siberia—an enterprise launched under Empress Anna Ioanovna and unfolded over nearly four decades, with contributions from seven artists and twelve engravers. Figures such as J. C. Berckhan and J. W. Lursenius brought field experience from Siberian expeditions searching overland routes toward North America, while Alexander Ivanovich Svechin later added scenes informed by 1760s surveys of timber resources vital to naval construction. Issued as individual prints, these works are exceptional rarities, often eluding bibliographies and institutional sets. Their dual Russian–French captions positioned them for imperial and European audiences, fusing documentary precision with cultivated taste.

At the center of this achievement stands Mikhail Ivanovich Makhaev, whose urban engravings set a standard for clarity, proportion, and atmospheric depth. Makhaev excelled at aligning measured perspective with narrative detail—here, the flood becomes both subject and structuring device, revealing the hierarchy of ground and water that defines Kazan. His editorial acumen drew together diverse field artists and engravers into a coherent visual program that chronicled Russia’s urban ascent along its great rivers. For the connoisseur, this is a city map of uncommon power: it does not merely depict Kazan, it explains it—its vantage, its waterways, its neighborhoods, and its enduring poise at the hinge of Europe and Asia.

Streets and roads on this map

• No verified street names visible; the map focuses on the broader urban landscape rather than detailed street listings.

Notable Features & Landmarks

• The Casanka River
• Various architectural structures in Kazan
• Natural landscape elements (trees, landforms)
• Boat or vessel depicted on the river
• Visual representation of flooding effects

Historical and design context

• Date created: 1771
• Mapmaker/publisher: Mikhail Ivanovich Makhaev, known for early urban landscape engravings
• Part of a rare series of early views of Russian cities along the Volga and in Siberia, prized for artistic and historical value
• Series comprises 34 prints produced over nearly forty years by seven artists and twelve engravers; originally commissioned by Empress Anna Ioanovna
• Contributors include J. C. Berckhan and J. W. Lursenius (Siberian expeditions exploring routes toward North America)
• Alexander Ivanovich Svechin added views from 1760s expeditions assessing timber resources for naval construction
• Each print was issued individually, making surviving examples exceptional rarities often absent from bibliographies and collections
• Engraved on high-quality Dutch handmade paper with bilingual Russian and French captions
• Thematically focused on an urban landscape during flooding, offering 18th-century historical and geographical insight specific to Kazan and the Volga region
• Historically significant for documenting an evolving city shaped by natural disasters; valuable to collectors and historians studying Russia’s transformation

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the undefined version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.