About historical maps

Kartverket (the Norwegian Mapping Authority) holds one of the country's largest archives of old maps: hand-drawn originals, printed map series and sea charts dating back to the 1500s and 1600s. Much of the archive has been scanned in high resolution. At Podkart you can order these maps printed in exactly the size you want, in the map's own proportions.

The maps tell a great deal about how Norway has developed: place names, farms, roads, borders, settlement and how the landscape was understood and drawn. Many people use them for genealogy and local history, and an old map of your home town, cabin or family farm makes a lovely gift.

See all historical maps, or find maps of your county on the map of Norway on the collection page.

The main map series

Kvadratmilkart – square-mile maps (c. 1774–1808)

About 200 hand-drawn sheets at a scale of about 1:10,000 covering Østfold, parts of Akershus and Hedmark up to the border with SÞr-TrÞndelag. The maps were made to survey the areas along the border with Sweden and are unusually detailed in settled areas, often showing individual farms. See square-mile maps

RektangelmĂ„linger – rectangle surveys (1770s–1930s)

The systematic survey of Norway began with the rectangle surveys. A grid based on, among other points, the flagpole at Kongsvinger fortress eventually stretched from Lindesnes to Leirfjord in Nordland. The surveys are hand-drawn, at scales from 1:10,000 to 1:100,000, and are an important source for local history. See rectangle surveys

Rektangelkart – rectangle maps (1869–1960s)

The printed maps based on the rectangle surveys, at a scale of 1:100,000. The series was on sale until 1979. See rectangle maps

Amtskart – county maps (1826–1950s)

The first large printed maps in Norway, at a scale of 1:200,000. The series began with SmÄlenene (Østfold) and gradually covered most of the counties. See county maps

Amtskartsamlingen – the county map collection

A large collection of maps of whole or partial counties, including maps of most towns in the country. The oldest date from the late 1600s. See the county map collection

GradteigsmĂ„linger and gradteigskart – degree-sheet surveys and maps (1890s–1970s)

The degree-sheet system was based on the meridian through the Christiania observatory. The hand-drawn surveys mainly cover Northern Norway, while the printed degree-sheet maps at 1:100,000 appeared from around 1895 and were on sale until 1990. See degree-sheet maps

Norway 1:50,000 / M711 (1950s onwards)

The first uniform map series covering the whole country. The early editions are known as “black and white, blue water”. The series is very detailed and popular for maps of cabin areas and home towns.

Tyskerkart – German maps (1937–1956)

Maps made or revised by the German occupying forces during the Second World War, often based on older Norwegian maps. See German maps

Norgesavdelingen – the Norway section

Maps of all or large parts of Norway, from the 1600s to the present day. Many were made by others than Kartverket, for example school maps and overview maps. See the Norway section

Historical sea charts

Sea charts of the Norwegian coast from the 1800s onwards, plus museum charts dating back to 1580. See historical sea charts

Other collections

There are also county surveys (1811–1817), Troms sketch surveys (1869–1872), company maps, road maps, geological and statistical maps, hiking maps and county maps. Use the search or the filters on the collection page to find them.

Printed in exactly the size you want

The historical maps come in very different formats. We print every map from Kartverket's high-resolution scan, in the size you choose and in the map's own proportions, from 20 cm up to 105 cm on the shortest side. Choose between matt map paper, acid-free fine art paper and water- and tear-resistant Tyvek. The maps are printed and trimmed in our own print studio in Trondheim. Read more about sizes and paper types

Source: Kartverket. The maps come from Kartverket's collection of historical maps.