The map shows the Alps in 1000 CE, at the transition from the Early to the High Middle Ages. The Alps and the surrounding areas are shown, areas further out are not detailed. All major towns and cities and shown and some minor ones too, though not nearly all; the focus is on the Alps themselves. Names are a mix of Middle Age, regional, Latin and modern names. The sizes of the settlements are mostly conjecture, as there is little data available for them before the High Middle Age. With the European population boom just beginning, many later towns are still but villages or even hamlets. A few castles, mostly simple wooden structures, are included; the vast majority of them were constructed later, in the High and Late Middle Ages. All monasteries and fortified churches are excluded except a few important ones. Only the most accessible and most used mountain passes are included. Most of them run roughly north - south, though most valleys run east - west. Several passes in the northwest have been included but roads, as all of them were minor in that area.
The map has been made with the help of OpenLayers.
You can zoom out and in, pan the view and enlarge the map to occupy the full screen.
Four different layers are available.
None of them is transparent, so it does not make sense to switch on multiple ones at the same time.
Zoom out for less detail, or back in for more.
Hover over a landmark to see a short description (displayed below the map like the coordinates of the mouse position).
Note that the modern Alps, though based on the same geography as the Middle Ages, differ in some respects.
Where in Medieval times people had to climb passes to cross mountains and were often barred by bad weather in winter months, now tunnels pierce the most troublesome rocks.
Towns and cities were much smaller than today.
Some, like Bern, Bolzano, Fribourg, Noli and Wiener Neustad, among others, had not yet been founded.
The Gotthard Pass was seldom used; Predil Pass had not yet been constructed.
Some old Roman roads were still heavily in use, others had decayed into mere paths.
Rivers, though not marked on the map, were at least as important as roads for transport.
This is the time of the rise of the Holy Roman Empire.
The vast Frankish empire has fragmented and crumbled and the Byzantine empire has been forced to cede much land in Italy; the new Holy Roman Empire unites Germany and Italy.
It spans modern Germany, the Low Countries, Switzerland, north Italy, Slovenia and parts of France, Austria and Czechia.
It is a patchwork of kingdoms and duchies where the emperor has limited power.
In the heart of the Alps, the formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy is still almost three centuries into the future.
The Magyars in the east have been transformed into Hungarians, but vikings still raid the north.
Saracens are making inroads into the south of Europe, though the terrors of the 9th century have been pushed back.
Consequently, overland routes, especially those crossing the Alps, have gained importance.
Data on the Early Middle Ages is scarce. The websites below offer good information:
- http://on-historic-routes.com/featured-routes/historic-routes-across-the-alps/: Historic routes across the Alps
- https://www.landesgeschichte.uni-goettingen.de/handelsstrassen/index.php: German roads in the High and Late Middle Ages