diff --git a/src/api/map.js b/src/api/map.js
index 6a0e0fb683..9bbaa411d5 100644
--- a/src/api/map.js
+++ b/src/api/map.js
@@ -29,7 +29,13 @@ ol.map = function(opt_arg){
     var projection;
     /** @type {ol.Projection|undefined} */
     var userProjection;
-    
+    /** @type {ol.Bounds|undefined} */
+    var maxExtent;
+    /** @type {array|undefined} */
+    var resolutions;
+    /** @type {array|undefined} */
+    var layers;
+   
     if (arguments.length == 1) {
         if (opt_arg instanceof ol.Map) {
             return opt_arg;
@@ -40,6 +46,9 @@ ol.map = function(opt_arg){
             numZoomLevels = opt_arg['numZoomLevels'];
             projection = opt_arg['projection'];
             userProjection = opt_arg['userProjection'];
+            maxExtent = opt_arg['maxExtent'];
+            resolutions = opt_arg['resolutions'];
+            layers = opt_arg['layers'];
         }
         else {
             throw new Error('ol.map');
@@ -57,10 +66,19 @@ ol.map = function(opt_arg){
         map.setNumZoomLevels(numZoomLevels);
     }
     if (goog.isDef(projection)) {
-        map.setProjection(projection);
+        map.setProjection(ol.projection(projection));
     }
     if (goog.isDef(userProjection)) {
-        map.setUserProjection(userProjection);
+        map.setUserProjection(ol.projection(userProjection));
+    }
+    if (goog.isDef(maxExtent)) {
+        map.setMaxExtent(ol.bounds(maxExtent));
+    }
+    if (goog.isDef(resolutions)) {
+        map.setResolutions(resolutions);
+    }
+    if (goog.isDef(layers)) {
+        map.setLayers(layers);
     }
     return map;
     
@@ -149,3 +167,15 @@ ol.Map.prototype.layers = function(opt_arg) {
         return this.getLayers();
     }
 };
+
+/**
+ * @param {Array=} opt_arg  
+ * @returns {ol.Map|ol.Bounds|undefined} Map max extent.
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.maxExtent = function(opt_arg) {
+    if (arguments.length == 1 && goog.isDef(opt_arg)) {
+        return this.setMaxExtent(ol.bounds(opt_arg));
+    } else {
+        return this.getMaxExtent();
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/ol/Map.js b/src/ol/Map.js
index a321b00302..68c5e69810 100644
--- a/src/ol/Map.js
+++ b/src/ol/Map.js
@@ -128,6 +128,24 @@ ol.Map.prototype.getLayers = function() {
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * @return {ol.Bounds} the maxExtent for the map
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.getMaxExtent = function() {
+    if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(this.maxExtent_)) {
+        return this.maxExtent_;
+    } else {
+        var extent = this.projection.getMaxExtent();
+        if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(extent)) {
+            return extent;
+        } else {
+            throw('maxExtent must be defined either in the map or the projection');
+        }
+    }
+        
+};
+
+
 /**
  * @param {ol.Loc} center Center.
  * @return {ol.Map} This.
@@ -195,6 +213,15 @@ ol.Map.prototype.setLayers = function(layers) {
     return this;
 };
 
+/**
+ * @param {ol.Bounds} extent the maxExtent for the map
+ * @return {ol.Map} This.
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.setMaxExtent = function(extent) {
+    this.maxExtent_ = extent;
+    return this;
+};
+
 /**
 */
 ol.Map.prototype.destroy = function() {
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/Map.test.js b/test/spec/ol/Map.test.js
index 320414052f..0e3768d32e 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/Map.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/Map.test.js
@@ -186,17 +186,106 @@ describe("ol.Map", function() {
     
     it("resolutions array is mutable", function() {
         var map = ol.map();
+        debugger;
         map.resolutions([1,2,3]);
+        
+        var resolutions = map.resolutions();
+        expect(resolutions[0]).toBe(1);
             
         map.resolutions([10,9,8,7,6,5]);
 
-        var resolutions = map.resolutions();
+        resolutions = map.resolutions();
         expect(resolutions.length).toBe(6);
         expect(resolutions[0]).toBe(10);
         expect(resolutions[2]).toBe(8);
         expect(resolutions[4]).toBe(6);
     });
     
+    it("returns correct maxExtent for default map", function() {
+        var map = ol.map();
+        
+        var extent = map.maxExtent();
+        expect(extent instanceof ol.Bounds).toBe(true);
+        expect(extent.minX()).toBe(-20037508.34);
+        expect(extent.maxX()).toBe(-20037508.34);
+        expect(extent.minY()).toBe(20037508.34);
+        expect(extent.maxY()).toBe(20037508.34);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("returns correct maxExtent for custom map extent", function() {
+        var map = ol.map();
+        map.maxExtent([-5,-4,7,9]);
+        
+        var extent = map.maxExtent();
+        expect(extent instanceof ol.Bounds).toBe(true);
+        expect(extent.minX()).toBe(-5);
+        expect(extent.maxX()).toBe(-4);
+        expect(extent.minY()).toBe(7);
+        expect(extent.maxY()).toBe(9);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("returns correct maxExtent for custom projection extent", function() {
+        var map = ol.map();
+        map.projection("CRS:84");
+        
+        var extent = map.maxExtent();
+        expect(extent instanceof ol.Bounds).toBe(true);
+        expect(extent.minX()).toBe(-180);
+        expect(extent.maxX()).toBe(-90);
+        expect(extent.minY()).toBe(180);
+        expect(extent.maxY()).toBe(90);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("throws an error whith no maxExtent available", function() {
+        expect(function(){
+            map({projection: ol.projection("bar")});
+            extent = map.maxExtent();                
+        }).toThrow();
+    });
+    
+    it("getMaxRes returns correct defaults", function() {
+        var map = ol.map();
+        
+        var res = map.maxRes();
+        expect(res.toFixed(5)).toBe(1.40625);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("allows setting of maxRes", function() {
+        var map = ol.map({
+            maxRes: 67
+        });
+        
+        var res = map.maxRes();
+        expect(res).toBe(67);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("getMaxRes returns correct for custom maxExtent", function() {
+        var map = ol.map({
+            projection: ol.projection({
+                maxExtent: [0,0,90,90]
+            })
+        });
+        
+        var res = map.maxRes();
+        expect(res.toFixed(7)).toBe(0.3515625);
+        
+    });
+    
+    it("getResForZoom returns correct defaults", function() {
+        var map = ol.map();
+        
+        res = map.getResForZoom(0);
+        expect(res.toFixed(5)).toBe(1.40625);
+        res = map.getResForZoom(5);
+        expect(res.toFixed(10)).toBe(0.0439453125);
+        
+    });
+    
     it("has no layers by default", function() {
         var map = ol.map();