A ‘tourist scheme’ published in 1981. In the Soviet Union, maps for the public were subject to censorship and distortion. This is an extreme example, because of Brest’s proximity to the border.

Generalisation: Only the most prominent features of the city are depicted.

Deletion: Brest lies 3 km northeast of the Polish border. At that time, Soviet citizens were forbidden to possess accurate maps, and needed special permission to travel near the border. In consequence, the publishers have deleted the southern half of the city, its remaining suburbs to the west, the airport to the east, and give no clues as to how to find the Berlin‒Moscow highway.

Distortion: The map uses a ‘fish eye’ projection, in which distances appear greater in the center of the map, than elsewhere. As a result, the maps cannot be used with a compass.

In the present day, this ‘tourist scheme’ is of little practical use, other than as a guide to Soviet-era street names, or a careful illustration of cartographic deception. You can compare it with a contemporary satellite image below.