Head to the British Museum to see the world’s first travel guide

In this age of travel, we are constantly in search of the perfect travel guide. Well, while we are not sure of being perfect, here is the world’s first travel guide. Now, you can check out the world’s first travel guide in the British Museum, as it goes on display as a part of the exhibition, Inspired by the East: How the Islamic World Influenced Western Art.

Origins of the first travel guide in the world
The incredible travel guide is a 500-year-old book, written by Bernhard von Breydenbach, way back in 1486. The book also includes illustrations by Dutch artist Erhard Reuwich. This was written by Breydenbach after his and Reuwich’s trip to the Holy Land, which is basically the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

The exhibition will also include a very interesting pull-out map of Jerusalem. It is the first-ever printed map of this city.

According to reports, this book was in fact the bestseller of the 15th century, mainly because it illustrated famous cities that many knew of but only a few have ever been to. According to Giulia Bartrum, the curator of German prints in the British Museum, the earlier depictions (ones before the travel guide) of Jerusalem or Venice were made up, and very few people in Europe had visited them. But this was a detailed book for those who had no real idea of these places.

The exhibition is currently open and will run until January 26, 2020.