Map of Colombo during the VOC’s siege of it

Title on object: Afbeelding van de Stadt Colombo op t Eijlandt Ceijlon, benevens haer belegh en veroveringh

The map shows the town of Colombo on Ceylon, with its main streets and buildings. Not only the city defences are clearly depicted; we also see the siege works as VOC troops had erected them during their siege of the town in 1655-1656.

Also see Nationaal Archief VELH0619.115 (where the town is depicted without the siege) and Österreichische Nationalbibliothek: Van der Hem 39:06 (which, apart from the reverse orientation, has the same composition as this map).

Part of the Carte di Castello, collected by Cosimo de Medici III in 1667 and 1669 during his tours through Europe. Cosimo III bought the 66 watercolours by Vingboons in December 1667 in Amsterdam, through mediation of Pieter Blaeu.