Topography
Maps, Canals, and the Shape of Italy
Cosimo Medici made use of the Arno as a canal to bring goods to Florence.
— Leonardo da Vinci
Overview
Leonardo's topographical notes document his engagement with the physical landscape of Italy — canal routes through Lombardy, the course of the Arno between Florence and the sea, the geography of the Romagna, travel notes from his journeys, and his extraordinary bird's-eye-view maps that anticipated modern cartography by centuries.
These notes served several purposes: military reconnaissance (especially during his time with Cesare Borgia), engineering proposals for canal navigation and river control, and Leonardo's own insatiable desire to understand how the land was shaped by water over time.
Canal Routes through Lombardy
Making rivers navigable
Canal of San Cristofano at Milan, made May 3rd 1509. By making the canal of Martesana the level of the Adda is higher than that of the canal by 3 braccia. And if the said canal shall be conducted properly the Ticino can in like manner be turned into a navigable canal.
C.A. 232 v. a
The Arno above and below Florence. Take away from the Mincio the water of the Oglio — close the Mincio at Governolo, drain away the water from the Mincio — make a canal from it to the Oglio.
C.A. 271 r. c
Travel Notes
Observations on the road
At Rimini the waters of the Marecchia flow into the sea at the bridge of Rimini. On both sides of the bridge there are 2 canals. That of the west leads to the citadel. The city is on the left bank of the Marecchia and this river runs from west by north to east by south.
MS. L 73 r
Faenza — the clock of Faenza — the crossbow of Giotto — the wine — the fruit — sale of herbs — from Faenza ride across the mountains to Imola — from Imola to Bologna — 20 miles.
MS. L 78 v
Leonardo was one of the first cartographers to draw maps from an aerial perspective — looking straight down, as if from above. His map of Imola (1502), drawn for Cesare Borgia, is astonishingly accurate and beautiful. He surveyed the town himself, walking every street and measuring distances. The resulting map looks like a modern city plan. -D