Accuracy assessment of the urban maps of Cadiz (18th century): a unique collection in the historical cartography of Spain

Abstract

The text analyzes the unique cartographic collection that, in its entirety, represented the Plaza de Cádiz throughout the 18th century, showing the evolution of its plot and defensive system during a period, the Enlightenment, in which the city reached its maximum splendor. The first maps of the collection were elaborated by the French 'Corps du genie' during the War of the Spanish Succession; the rest belong to the Spanish counterpart, founded in 1710 at the request of Felipe V. The research carried out provides a general view on the degree of positional accuracy reached by the maps of the collection, assessed using the Root Mean Square Error RMSE with the MapAnalyst tool. In addition, the results obtained have allowed us to identify and characterize certain aspects that help to interpret the disparate accuracy of the collection and confirm the existence of relationships between their specimens. © 2025 Asociacion Espanola de Geografia. All rights reserved.