Plattegrond van Gouda after 1744

This is an anonymous engraving depicting the city of Gouda. Note the heraldic lions, symbols of strength and vigilance, flanking the city's coat of arms. These lions are not mere decorations; they are guardians, a motif echoed across centuries in architecture and art from the gates of Mycenae to medieval tapestries. Consider how these figures resonate with our deep-seated need for protection and order. The compass rose, too, is more than a navigational tool. It is a symbol of orientation and control, much like the recurring image of the labyrinth. Think of the minotaur's lair, a place of danger and mystery, where only the thread of Ariadne could guide one back to safety. In our collective psyche, cartography itself becomes a means of psychological mapping, imposing human will upon the unknown. The city, then, is not just a physical space but a projection of our desire to structure and contain the world around us.