Best Map Award
Best Map of 2020
A tourist map of Xi’an: combining historical city characteristics with art
Min Weng, Xiaoyan Song, Lingqi Wang, Huan Xie, Ping Zhang, Shiliang Su & Mengjun Kang
Journal of Maps, Volume 16, 2020 - Issue 1
Published online: 19 Nov 2020
It is with great pleasure that we announce "A tourist map of Xi’an: combining historical city characteristics with art" has been awarded our "Best Map" of 2020. We had an excellent range of maps submitted this year that were diverse and innovative. As a result they generated much discussion among the awards panel.
The map presented in this paper proposes improving functionality and artistry in tourist mapping, using Xi'an in China as a study case. The map particularly impressed due to its use of artistic characteristics to tell the spatial narrative, including variable scales, topological optimization, hand-painted symbols and colors extracted from the architecture of the city of Xi'an. It is a worthy winner.
The History of the Best Map Award
As Journal of Maps has grown since it was first published in 2005 we have established a growing back catalogue of articles, with maps covering many countries and, indeed, planets. From 2008 we have initiated a “Best Map” award to be presented to the single best contribution to the journal in the year it was published. Contributions are judged upon both their academic content and cartographic quality. It is neither the best academic paper nor the best designed map, but a combination of qualities from both areas. The winners of the award will, where financially and technically feasible, see their map published as part of a limited 200 copy print run which will be made available for sale “at cost”.
Please see as follows for the most recent winner of the Best Map Award, and each winning map since the award's inception.
Best Map of 2018
Best Map of 2016
Best Map of 2014
Best Map of 2012
The Spanish population during the twentieth century and beyond.
Best Map of 2011
Best Map of 2010
Best Map of 2009
Best Map of 2008
Why publish open access?
Open Access (OA) means your research is free to access online as soon as it is published, meaning anyone can read (and cite) your work. Increase readership, impact beyond your field, and retain the copyright to your article.
Submission guidelines
All submitted manuscripts are initially assessed by the Editors, and, if considered appropriate for potential publication in the journal, are peer reviewed by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single blind and submission is online via ScholarOne Manuscripts.