You couldn't exactly open Google Earth and view a map of the planet in the fourteenth century.

But you may undertake a pilgrimage to Hereford Cathedral if you resided someplace in or close to the British Isles.

The Hereford Mappa Mundi is a large-scale (64′′ x 52′′) representation of the entire world, or at least the entire world as conceived in the pious English mind of the Middle Ages, which turns out to be almost unrecognizable at first glance today. The shrine of St. Thomas Cantilupe is the main attraction for the true believer.

The Hereford Mappa Mundi, which was created around 1300 and features illustrations that were influenced by everything from Biblical antiquity through the Middle Ages, acts as a sort of visual encyclopedia of the time.

The map displays plants, animals, birds, weird or unidentified species, humans, and 420 cities and geographical landmarks in addition to events that have marked the history of humanity.

One "Blemmye"—a warlike creature with no head but facial features in its chest—two "Sciapods," "guys with one huge foot," and "four cave-dwelling Troglodites," one of which eats snakes—are among them.

The map also features supernatural scenes from classical Greek and Roman mythology, Biblical tales, and a collection of well-known legends and stories, along with geography that we would now consider severely constrained and fairly mangled — Europe is labeled as Asia, and vice versa, to name only the most obvious mistake.

As a result, this speaks more to humanity's perspective during a time when there were less boundaries between reality and mythology.

The Hereford Mappa Mundi aims to demonstrate the accuracy of the Bible.

In light of the fact that they predicted Jesus would arrive from the east on the day of judgment, east is placed above.

Naturally, the hub is Jerusalem.

The Crucifixion Site, the Tower of Babel, and the Garden of Eden are further areas of interest, not to mention the locations of the Golden Fleece and Mount Olympus.

The Hereford Cathedral's website, which provides a thorough 3D scan of the map, visible from every aspect, coupled with descriptions of all its key features: in other words, a sort of Google Medieval Earth, allows you to examine all of these in depth.