Ottoman map exhibit opens at Vatican

A Turkish university inaugurated an exhibit of maps drawn by two Ottoman geographers in the Vatican on Tuesday. The Center for Studies of Civilization of Istanbul's Bahcesehir University opened "The Ottoman Worldview from Piri Reis to Katip Celebi" exhibit at the Vatican's Palazzo della Cancelleria in league with the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The exhibit shows reproductions of maps drawn and used during the Ottoman era, until the end of the 17th century. Although the maps lack lines of longitude and latitude, they are as precise as scientific maps for practical naval purposes since they have a projection center and are adjusted for variation.