Article is executed on the basis of studying of old cartographical works and the most considerable maps and atlases of postdate publication, which are stored in funds of National Library of Russia. The detailed list of the most important cartographical works with the short annotation is provided in this article. The author carried out classification of cartographical editions by a temporary sign: a) the earliest cartography sources (Old Russian drafts); b) maps («drafts») of Peter the Great epoch; c) Russian earliest and most remarkable maps and atlases d) atlases of the Russian Empire of the XIX century. Old cards and atlases are a layer of spatial displays of the territory of Russia of the XVIII-XIX centuries which will allow researchers to use a number of new interesting materials in their works. Retrospective excurses into the region history is carried out in this article. The author carried out the analysis of aspects of application of the first and present Russian atlases and maps in modern historical and geographical researches.
Keywords: cartographical works, natural maps, social-economical maps, landscape map, geobotanic map, map of forest estates, space photographes, aerosurveying.