description Behaim Globe Overview
The Erdapfel, produced by Martin Behaim in 1492, is widely recognized as the oldest surviving terrestrial globe. Constructed in Nuremberg, Germany, the globe predates Christopher Columbus's return to Europe and the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama. Consequently, it lacks the Americas and the Pacific Ocean, instead displaying a vast ocean between Europe and Asia populated with geographical misconceptions and mythical islands drawn from Ptolemaic and medieval sources.
help Behaim Globe FAQ
Where is the Behaim Globe (Erdapfel) housed today?
The Erdapfel, Martin Behaim's 1492 terrestrial globe, is housed at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany. It has been part of the museum's collection and remains one of its most historically significant artifacts.
Why doesn't the Behaim Globe show the Americas?
The globe was completed in 1492, the same year Christopher Columbus first sailed west, so the Americas had not yet been documented in Europe. The globe reflects late 15th-century European geographical knowledge, showing Europe, Africa, and Asia but leaving a large ocean where the New World would later be mapped.
What does the word Erdapfel mean?
Erdapfel literally translates to 'earth apple' in German. The term was historically used in some German dialects to describe what is now commonly called a Kartoffel (potato), but in this context it playfully describes the globe's round, fruit-like shape as a representation of the Earth.
Who created the Behaim Globe and where was it built?
The globe was created by Martin Behaim, a German mariner and geographer, in Nuremberg in 1492. It was a collaborative effort involving local painters and craftsmen who decorated the globe's surface, though Behaim is credited with its overall geographical content and design.
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