How did Leonardo da Vinci’s work for Cesare Borgia contribute to early cartography?

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Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci drawn in red chalk, showing an elderly man with long hair and a flowing beard, with a serious, contemplative expression. — Leonardo da Vinci Self-portrait, drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1517–18; in the Royal Library, Turin, Italy.

In 1502, Leonardo da Vinci entered the service of Cesare Borgia as a senior military architect and general engineer. During his 10-month tenure, Leonardo traveled across the territories of the Romagna region to conduct surveys.

His work during this period contributed significantly to the development of cartography because he produced detailed city plans and topographical maps based on his direct observations and measurements of the terrain. These efforts are recognized as early examples of modern mapping techniques, moving beyond traditional methods to create more accurate representations of the landscape.1