Canal Gallery

16th century map of Venice

16th century map of Venice showing the lagoon. Venice is a coastal city in the north-east of Italy. The main bulk of Venice is in the upper frame of the image and the large canal at the left is the Grand Canal. The Gallery of Maps in the Vatican Museums holds maps which were commissioned between 1578 and 1580 to show the regions of Italy and territories of the church. The maps are based on the work of Ignazio Danti, a 16th century Italian priest, mathematician, astronomer and cosmographer, and are an important record of 16th century geography. Here the many islands on which Venice is built can be seen.

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Map of the City of Dublin, 1797

Map of the City of Dublin, Ireland. Published in 1797, this map includes details of the canals being built at the time. Canal Harbour (lower right) connects across bottom with the Grand Canal (lower left). The Royal Canal (upper right and a branch at upper centre) was a competing canal. Running across centre is the River Liffey. Borders of the city's wards are marked in coloured lines, with a key at lower right, next to the city coat of arms. The scale at lower left is in both English and Irish miles. In 1797, Ireland was ruled by Britain, and this map was published by the geographer to King George III and the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV).

© LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, GEOGRAPHY AND MAP DIVISION/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Manchester Ship Canal, 19th century

Manchester Ship Canal, 19th-century artwork. This canal, constructed between 1887 and 1893, opened on 1 January 1894. It provided a route for shipping from the Mersey Estuary to Manchester, UK, covering a distance of some 58 kilometres. Here, a steam-powered boat is approaching a railway bridge. Artwork from the 13th volume (first period of 1894) of the French popular science weekly 'La Science Illustree'.

© SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY