New Improved Nolli Plan!

In 1748, Roman architect and surveyor Giambattista Nolli published the first accurate map of Rome since antiquity. Architects and urbanists love the Nolli plan because it's a figure / ground map that shows public space (white) shaped by private space. The public space includes places like church interiors and interior courts.

The University of Oregon has performed a great public service by putting a detailed, interactive version on the web. You can zoom in, pan around, toggle features like the city walls on and off, search for a building or landmark, and even switch to a present-day satellite view of any location on the map.