diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index eb586055..cba2c7d9 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -494,6 +494,14 @@
             >
               <u>H</u>eightmap
             </li>
+            <li
+              id="toggleTopography"
+              data-tip="Topographic contours: click to toggle, drag to raise or lower the layer"
+              data-shortcut="Q"
+              onclick="toggleTopography(event)"
+            >
+              Topo<u>g</u>raphy
+            </li>
             <li
               id="toggleBiomes"
               data-tip="Biomes: click to toggle, drag to raise or lower the layer. Ctrl + click to edit layer style"
@@ -8205,5 +8213,6 @@
     <script defer src="modules/renderers/draw-burg-labels.js?v=1.108.1"></script>
     <script defer src="modules/renderers/draw-burg-icons.js?v=1.104.0"></script>
     <script defer src="modules/renderers/draw-relief-icons.js?v=1.108.4"></script>
+    <script defer src="modules/renderers/draw-topography.js?v=1.108.4"></script>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 5f937ca8..ea483865 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ let lakes = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "lakes");
 let landmass = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "landmass");
 let texture = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "texture");
 let terrs = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "terrs");
+let topography = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "topography");
 let biomes = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "biomes");
 let cells = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "cells");
 let gridOverlay = viewbox.append("g").attr("id", "gridOverlay");
@@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", async () => {
     hideLoading();
     await checkLoadParameters();
   }
-  restoreDefaultEvents; // apply default viewbox events
+  restoreDefaultEvents(); // apply default viewbox events
   initiateAutosave();
 });
 
diff --git a/modules/renderers/draw-topography.js b/modules/renderers/draw-topography.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70e675dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/renderers/draw-topography.js
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+"use strict";
+
+// Draw topographic hillshade-style fill per grid cell
+function drawTopography() {
+  TIME && console.time("drawTopography");
+
+  const group = d3.select("#topography");
+  group.selectAll("*").remove();
+
+  const {cells, points, features: gridFeatures} = grid;
+
+  // Colorimetry from user (positive altitudes, depressions, negative altitudes)
+  // Start positive ramp at #BAAE9A as requested
+  const POSITIVE_COLORS = [
+    "#BAAE9A",
+    "#AC9A7C",
+    "#AA8753",
+    "#B9985A",
+    "#C3A76B",
+    "#CAB982",
+    "#D3CA9D",
+    "#DED6A3",
+    "#E8E1B6",
+    "#EFEBC0",
+    "#E1E4B5",
+    "#D1D7AB",
+    "#BDCC96",
+    "#A8C68F",
+    "#94BF8B",
+    "#ACD0A5"
+  ];
+  const NEGATIVE_COLORS = [
+    "#D8F2FE",
+    "#C6ECFF",
+    "#B9E3FF",
+    "#ACDBFB",
+    "#A1D2F7",
+    "#96C9F0",
+    "#8DC1EA",
+    "#84B9E3",
+    "#79B2DE",
+    "#71ABD8"
+  ];
+  const DEPRESSIONS_COLOR = "#0978AB"; // lakes / inland depressions: Rivers, coasts, hydronyms color
+
+  const posInterp = d3.interpolateRgbBasis(POSITIVE_COLORS);
+  const negInterp = d3.interpolateRgbBasis(NEGATIVE_COLORS);
+
+  // Base color scheme mirrors heightmap scheme
+  // not used now; we fully replace with provided palette
+
+  // Lighting settings (can be overridden by attributes)
+  const azimuth = (+group.attr("azimuth") || 315) * (Math.PI / 180); // degrees → radians
+  const altitude = (+group.attr("altitude") || 45) * (Math.PI / 180);
+  const light = [Math.cos(azimuth) * Math.cos(altitude), Math.sin(azimuth) * Math.cos(altitude), Math.sin(altitude)];
+  const zScale = +group.attr("zscale") || 0.8; // vertical exaggeration for normals
+
+  let html = "";
+
+  for (const i of cells.i) {
+    const h = cells.h[i];
+    const isWater = h < 20;
+    const featureType = isWater && gridFeatures ? gridFeatures[cells.f[i]]?.type : null;
+    const isLake = isWater && featureType === "lake";
+
+    // Estimate gradient from neighbors
+    const [cx, cy] = points[i];
+    let gx = 0,
+      gy = 0,
+      wsum = 0;
+    for (const n of cells.c[i]) {
+      if (n < 0) continue;
+      const [nx, ny] = points[n];
+      const dx = nx - cx;
+      const dy = ny - cy;
+      const dist = Math.hypot(dx, dy) || 1;
+      const dh = (cells.h[n] - h) / 100; // normalize height difference
+      const w = 1 / dist; // weight close neighbors higher
+      gx += w * dh * (dx / dist);
+      gy += w * dh * (dy / dist);
+      wsum += w;
+    }
+    if (wsum) {
+      gx /= wsum;
+      gy /= wsum;
+    }
+
+    // Build surface normal and compute light intensity
+    const nx = -gx * zScale;
+    const ny = -gy * zScale;
+    const nz = 1;
+    const invLen = 1 / Math.hypot(nx, ny, nz);
+    const n0 = [nx * invLen, ny * invLen, nz * invLen];
+    const intensity = minmax(n0[0] * light[0] + n0[1] * light[1] + n0[2] * light[2], 0, 1);
+
+    // Base color from provided palettes
+    let baseColor;
+    if (isWater) {
+      if (isLake) baseColor = d3.color(DEPRESSIONS_COLOR);
+      else {
+        const t = minmax((20 - h) / 20, 0, 1); // shallow 0 → deep 1
+        baseColor = d3.color(negInterp(t));
+      }
+    } else {
+      const t = minmax((h - 20) / 80, 0, 1); // lowland 0 → highland 1
+      baseColor = d3.color(posInterp(t));
+    }
+
+    // Modulate lightness by intensity (weaker effect on water)
+    const hsl = d3.hsl(baseColor);
+    const k = isWater ? 0.4 : 0.8;
+    hsl.l = minmax(hsl.l * (0.6 + k * intensity), 0, 1);
+    const color = hsl.toString();
+
+    // Cell polygon
+    const poly = getGridPolygon(i)
+      .map(p => `${rn(p[0], 2)},${rn(p[1], 2)}`)
+      .join(" ");
+    html += `<polygon points="${poly}" fill="${color}" opacity="${(terrs.attr("opacity") || 1) * 1}" />`;
+  }
+
+  group.html(html);
+
+  TIME && console.timeEnd("drawTopography");
+}
diff --git a/modules/ui/hotkeys.js b/modules/ui/hotkeys.js
index 4b1e626d..1c85d81e 100644
--- a/modules/ui/hotkeys.js
+++ b/modules/ui/hotkeys.js
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ function handleKeyup(event) {
   else if (key === "%") toggleAddMarker();
   else if (code === "KeyX") toggleTexture();
   else if (code === "KeyH") toggleHeight();
+  else if (code === "KeyQ") toggleTopography();
   else if (code === "KeyB") toggleBiomes();
   else if (code === "KeyE") toggleCells();
   else if (code === "KeyG") toggleGrid();
diff --git a/modules/ui/layers.js b/modules/ui/layers.js
index a1e3b503..cbf8429f 100644
--- a/modules/ui/layers.js
+++ b/modules/ui/layers.js
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ function drawLayers() {
   drawFeatures();
   if (layerIsOn("toggleTexture")) drawTexture();
   if (layerIsOn("toggleHeight")) drawHeightmap();
+  if (layerIsOn("toggleTopography")) drawTopography();
   if (layerIsOn("toggleBiomes")) drawBiomes();
   if (layerIsOn("toggleCells")) drawCells();
   if (layerIsOn("toggleGrid")) drawGrid();
@@ -229,6 +230,18 @@ function toggleHeight(event) {
   }
 }
 
+function toggleTopography(event) {
+  const group = d3.select('#topography');
+  const hasContent = group.selectAll('*').size() > 0;
+  if (!hasContent) {
+    turnButtonOn('toggleTopography');
+    drawTopography();
+  } else {
+    turnButtonOff('toggleTopography');
+    group.selectAll('*').remove();
+  }
+}
+
 function toggleTemperature(event) {
   if (!temperature.selectAll("*").size()) {
     turnButtonOn("toggleTemperature");
@@ -1015,6 +1028,7 @@ function moveLayer(event, ui) {
 // define connection between option layer buttons and actual svg groups to move the element
 function getLayer(id) {
   if (id === "toggleHeight") return $("#terrs");
+  if (id === "toggleTopography") return $("#topography");
   if (id === "toggleBiomes") return $("#biomes");
   if (id === "toggleCells") return $("#cells");
   if (id === "toggleGrid") return $("#gridOverlay");