Russian,
i.e. pre-1917 revolution and Soviet maps need some attention, as both
Russian and Soviet cartography had a relatively long presence in
Central and Eastern Europe and left a strong mark on development of
cartography in the whole region. Those maps however, are in short
supply, both as scans and as hard copies in libraries and archives, in
no small part due to the unparalleled secrecy Russian and Soviet
authorities imposed over accurate mapping of their their territories
and of those within their interest. We will try to scan and present
whichever such maps we come across. |
Map scales used in Imperial Russia and in the Soviet Union
Map scales we are interested in have been marked in red font below
By 1917 - maps made in the Russian Empire: |
1918 - 1945, maps by the RKKA (Red Army) map services |
1945 - 2009 - military maps by the General Staff (Genshtab) and civilian maps by the Chief Administration of Geodesy and Cartography, in short GUGK
[strictly speaking these maps are not covered by our project] |
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Stage 1 until approx. 1849, maps in inch scales: |
Stage 2, from 1850 onwards |
until 1940s, maps in scales: (wherever the scale was not changed to metric-based) |
from approx. 1926/1930 to 1945, maps in scales: |
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40 versts per inch |
40 versts per inch |
40 versts per inch 1:1 680,000 |
1:500,000 |
1:1 000,000 |
25 versts per inch |
25 versts per inch |
25 versts per inch 1:1 050,000 |
1:300,000 |
1:500,000 |
10 versts per inch (Schubert's map) |
10 versts per inch (so-called "Strielbicki's map") |
20 versts per inch (?) 1:840,000 |
1:200,000 |
1:300,000 |
6 versts per inch |
6 versts per inch |
15 versts per inch |
1:100,000 |
1:200,000 |
5 versts per inch |
5 versts per inch |
10 versts per inch 1:420,000 |
1:50,000 |
1:100,000 |
3 versts per inch |
3 versts per inch (3-verst map of western Russia) 1:126 000 |
8 versts per inch (?) |
1:25,000 |
1:50,000 |
topographic survey (tables) and various maps in scales of: |
2 versts per inch (2-verst map, 1:84,000) |
6 versts per inch 1:252,000 |
1:10,000 |
1:25,000 |
2 versts per inch |
1 verst per inch (one-verst map, 1:42,000) |
5 versts per inch 1:210 000 |
1:5,000 |
1:10,000 |
1 verst per inch |
0.5 verst per inch (half-verst map, 1:21,000) |
3 versts per inch 1:126,000 |
1:2,000 (town plans) |
1:5,000 |
0.5 verst per inch |
(Town and City) Plans |
2 versts per inch 1:84,000 |
maps and plans in inch scale, as above, where metric-based maps were not (yet) available |
1:2,000 (town and city plans) |
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1 verst per inch 1:42 000 |
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0.5 verst per inch 1:21 000 |
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(Town and City) Plans |
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Information after: http://zecernia.com/html/?p=203 on main Russian map types in (pre-1918) Poland:
Russian maps, in Polish the so-called “wiorstówki” (verst-based maps)
Originally the Russians began making topographic survey in the territory of current Poland in 1880 and the scale chosen was 1:21,000 (half-verst), but to speed slow progress, 1908, the scale was reduced to 1:42,000. After the end of World War 1 in 1918, Polish Instytut Wojskowo-Geograficzny (later WIG) did not receive any of those surveys from the Soviet state, but it managed to collect a substantial number of map sheets. They had been well-printed and preserved and as paper quality was excellent, mechanical distortion (paper shrinkage or elongation) was very small.
Due to complicated nature of triangulation network(s), the main problem encountered was cartometric accuracy, i.e. how accurately the distances between objects on the maps reflect the real-terrain distances. WIG cartographers in Poland used those Russian maps for quite some time and they were the core material on which new Polish detailed maps in 1:25,000 scale from the former Russian partition of Poland.
Half-, one- and two-verst-maps were prepared in Müffling polyhedric projection. The scale followed a system of units used in Russia (inches and versts), where 1 verst = 1066.8 meters), and the longitude was measured from Pulkovo meridian.
Half-verst maps (1 inch on the map equals 0.5 verst / 533.4 m on the ground), which was the original topographic table survey in scale 1:21,000 on the territory of the former Królestwo Kongresowe (Congress Poland), prepared in 1880-1912. Prior to WW1 a black-and-white map, a copy of a table was prepared. Altitude was presented by contour lines. Sheet size: 5’ of latitude and 9’ of longitude. The survey covered the area between the western border of the Russian partition and, approximately, the meridian in the area of Równe (Rivne, currently Western Ukraine), in Volhynia.
Jednowiorstówka (Polish map name, = one-verst map) scale 1:42,000 is a map from an original, reduced scale survey done between 1899 - 1913. It was caused by a pressure to increase the speed of field surveying. Some terrain detail, considered less vital, were ignored, for the sake of time-saving. Black-and-white map (with brown contour lines) based on topographic table survey and photomechanical reduction of plane-table survey in 1:21,000 scale. Sheet size: 10’ of latitude and 15’ of longitude.
Dwuwiorstówka (Polish map name, = two-verst-map) Novaya Topograficheskaya Karta Sapadnoy Rossii 1:84,000, New Topographic Map of Western Russia), produced from 1883 onwards, based on original table survey, scale 1:21,000 or1:42.000. Two-colour, contour lines in brown, map information in black Sheets of this map tap covered 15’ of latitude and 27’ of longitude. This map had a direct influence over the work of WIG and was used as a base material wherever more detailed maps were not available
Trzywiorstówka(Polish map name, = three-verst-map) (Wojenno-Topografitcheskaya Karta Yewropeyskoj Rossii 1:126,000, Military-topographic map of the European Russian) was made in 1845 - 1889 on the Bonne projection, based on the Walbeck ellipsoid. The map was produced in black-and-white only, features of terrain and altitude presented in hachures. Sheet size: 20’ of latitude and 20’ of longitude. By 1926 it was the basic map used by Polish topographers for a revision of mapping of the area of Polesie, currently in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia), as it was the only relatively accurate map of this area. In total 505 sheets (61 x 45 cm) were prepared.
Dziesięciowiorstówka (Polish map name, = ten-verst-map) scale 1:420,000 it was updated and re-printed until
1930s in 3 colours, despite the scale it appears to be, at times, more
accurate than the 1:126,000 map. In total 168 sheets (67 x 52 cm) were
printed. This map was reproduced by German cartography prior and during
WW1, re-scaled to 1:300,000, where more detailed maps were unavailable.
Again, prior to the German attack on the Soviet Union, the updated
versions of the (now) Soviet 1:420,000 maps were rescaled to 1:300,000.
Later editions of German maps were based on captured Soviet maps
(1:100,000 and 1:200,000) scale.
Dwudziestopięciowiorstówka (Polish map name, = twenty-five-Verst-map) (scale i 1:1 050,000) , as with the 10-verst map, it was not used by WIG when new military and civilian maps were drawn.
Russian measurement units: 1 Russian inch = 2.54 cm and, precisely 2.53995 cm) 1 foot = 12 inches = 30.48 cm 1 step = 28 inches = 71.12 cm 1 fathom = 3 steps = 7 feet = 84 inches = 2.1336 m 1 verst = 500 fathoms = 42000 inches = 1.06678 km 1 mile = 8 versts = 8.53431 km
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First two Russian maps which are based on / copies of maps by the neighbouring states.
A copy of German "Karte des Deutschen Reiches", scale 1:100,000. The maps is somewhat odd, as it consists of two sheets put together, vertically, (No 166 Osterode (Ostróda) and 198 Gilgenburg (Dąbrówno). File size is approx. 17.6 Mb. The map is not very legible, as is usually the case with re-prints, amplified by the fact that the original German map uses hachures a lot. Date of the Russian edition is 1913.
KDR 166 Osterode in Ost-Pr. + 198 Gilgenburg
A copy ("enhanced" of an Austro-Hungarian 1:75,000 map showing one of
the border areas between the Imperial Russia and Austro-Hungary, near
Sandomierz, Poland. Interesting overprints with place-names in Cyrillic
and outlines of roads and railway lines. 400 dpi,
approx. 14 Mb.
Рядъ 3 Лиcтъ XXV ABCTPO-BEНГPIЯ CAНДOMИP и TAPНOБPЖEГЪ (Ryad 3 List XXV AVSTRO-VENGRIA SANDOMIR i TARNOBZHEG)
You can compare it with a scan of the original, albeit much earlier Austrian map published around 1878, same resolution and file size.
Russian maps, scale 1:21 000 (Half-verst map)
Sheet title and its number (Cyrillic alphabet) |
Sheet title and its number (in Latin alphabet) |
Year |
File size |
Comments |
XII-15-I MARYAMP. UZDA (okreg Maryampol) |
1889 |
8.6 |
gubernia suwalska |
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Current coverage (available sheets) of 1:42 000 in Mapster
Russian and Soviet maps, scale 1:42 000 (Jednowiorstówka / One-verst map)
(scale originally used in the Imperial Russia and, for some time, after the 1917 Russian revolution, in the Soviet Union until, approx. in 1935 r. conversion into 1:50 000 scale was completed)
Russian and Soviet maps in 1:84,000 scale (two-verst map)
Current coverage (available sheets) of 1:84,000 maps in Mapster
Russian and Soviet maps in 1:126 000 (trzywiorstówka)
Current coverage (available sheets) of 1:126,000 maps in Mapster
And a small index sheet for this map type (500 kb)
Soviet maps (in metric scales)
Please note: the Soviet (or, strictly speaking, "international") system used on Soviet maps, was adopted on Polish military maps in 1945 - 1990. As we do not have original, Soviet index sheet(s) from 1930s - 1940s, we provide, as a reference, Polish index sheet from approx. 1970 - 1980. File size is approx. 5 Mb, and the sheet covers both Poland and Northern and Western Europe. Please note that the sheet is written in Latin alphabet, not Cyrillic. You will find a "conversion" below.
Polish index sheet ("modern", approx. 1980) in "1:25,000 to 1 milion" scale
Original, i.e. Cyrillic map reference sheet letters on 1:50,000 Soviet maps
A | Б |
B | Г |
Sheet letters on Soviet 1:50,000
maps in transliteration / Romanisation (in Latin alphabet equivalent).
Downloadable files available here use this notation, as various
operational systems and software still struggle with Cyrillic script.
A | B |
V | G |
Polish (and Latin in general) equivalent of sheet letters, which you will find on corresponding Polish (military), post-WW2 maps.
A | B |
C | D |
Last update: February 2013
Soviet map 1:25 000
Unfortunately we only have a few sheets in that scale available below.
Sheet title and its number (Cyrillic alphabet) | Sheet title and its number (in Latin alphabet) | Year | MB | Comments | |
+ | N-35-40-A-a (ГРИЦЮНЫ) | GRYCYUNY | 1943 | 8 | Eight sheets fron the (pre-WW2) area of Kresy, north-eastern Poland |
+ | N-35-40-A-b (КОРКОЖНИШКИ) | KORKOZHNISHKI | 1943 | 6.5 | |
+ | N-35-40-A-v (СТРИПУНЫ) | STRIPUNY | 1943 | 7.8 | |
+ | N-35-40-A-г (БУЙВИДЗЫ) | BUJVIDZY | 1943 | 7.9 | |
+ | N-35-40-B-v (ПРЕНЫ) | PRENY | 1943 | 7.8 | |
+ | N-35-40-V-a (БЕЗДАНЫ) | BEZDANY | 1943 | 8.1 | |
+ | N-35-40-V-v (МИЦКУНЫ) | MICKUNY | 1943 | 7.9 | |
+ | N-35-40-V-г (ЛАВАРИШКИ) | LAVARISHKI | 1943 | 8.3 | |
+ | M-34-79-Г-г (ЯСЛО) ЛИСТ 3 | YASLO | 12.1944 | 11.3 | Four sheets (three available) of a special edition, most probably related to the Soviet Army operation in the southern Poland in the end of 1944. Mini-index sheet available in the bottom-left corner of each sheet. |
+ | M-34-80-V-v (ТАПНОВЕЦ) ЛИСТ 1 | TARNOVEC | 12.1944 | 9.6 | |
+ | M-34-91-B-b (ДЕМБОВЕЦ) ЛИСТ 4 | DEMBOVEC | 12.1944 | 9.9 | |
N-34-138-Б-б (ВАРШАВА) | N-34-138-B-b (VARSHAVA) Warszawa (Pln) | 08.09.1944 | 4.9 | ДЛЯ СЛУЖЕБНОГО ПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ - FOR OFFICIAL USE re-scaled 1:50 000 sheet, Warszawa (Pln) [north part of the city] |
Soviet
maps of the Polish part of Wołyn (Volhynya), scale 1:25,000, dated
for the first months of 1939. We don't know how many sheets were
produced in this set, they possibly exceeded 600 maps.
Please
note that, while nominally the scale is 1:25,000, the maps are in faxct
re-scaled (and most probably un-updated) 1-verst Russian maps dated
late 19th - early 20th century. Date of topographic survey, i.e. when
the maps were drawn, based on actual situation on the ground, is given
in the top-left corner of each sheet.
Currently approx. 330 sheets of this edition are available in Mapster
1:50,000 Soviet maps prepared by ГЕНЕРАЛЬНЫЙ ШТАБ КРАСНОЙ АРМИИ (General Staff of the Red Army), between 1935 - 1945 (obviously many more were made later as well, but those later editions are beyond the scope of our interest for now). The sheets were based, depending on the area covered, on Polish 1:100,000 maps, elsewhere German maps (Messtischblatt 1:25,000 and Grossblatt / KDR 1:100,000), and earlier Russian (Imperial) maps in various scales, from 1:21,000 to 1:42,000.
File resolution: 300 dpi and 400 dpi
Please note: as we now have access to a very large number of files, exceeding 1,000, the list on our site will not be updated any longer. Current LIST of available scans of these maps, and their scans, can be downloaded from Mapster.
Majority of them have been acquired courtesy of the University of Greifswald, Germany.
Please remember that the sheets cover a very large area of Europe, therefore the Mapster index sheets loads very, VERY slowly.Soviet maps in 1:100 000