PLANNING HISTORY AND THEORY MURP 603

Evolution of Cities in the western world: An Overview-I

Medieval Age
Renaissance

SUBMITTED BY:
SHIKHA VERMA
MURP 1ST SEM

MEDIEVAL TOWN PLANNING

LOCATION

Europe is a small continent, but it is very diverse. Many different landforms,water features, and climates can be found there.
Although we call Europe a continent, it is actually part of Eurasia, the large landmass that includes both Europe and Asia.
Geographers consider the Ural Mountains to be the boundary between the two continents

CULTURE AND IT IMPACT ON CITY PLANNING

Of Society
The living conditions on land and the hope of better economic circumstances drove the poor to migrate to the towns.
The town and market centralizing function for the surrounding countryside.
Of trade
The early Middle Ages were largely populated by farmers, and frequently the artisans also had pieces of ground which they
cultivated.Only the inner town of Rothenberg, the Herrenstadt, possesses high-gabled buildings which were owned by the
town counselors and their families.The other main district of Franekerconsisted mainly of large blocks of Streets with garden
areas of varying sizes on the inside. The better residential districts grew up alongside the two main canals .
Of War
The building of new towns were increasingly influenced by the vision of the 'ideal town' of the Italian master builders. Town
fortifications in the form of hexagons octagons and dodecagons were published.
The rectangular network of streets which is often broken by radial roads, was now adopted as an axiom in town planningThrough the appearance of fortification builders, the physical layout of the town became subject to conditions imposed by
the fortifications

INTRODUCTION

The time span between fall of the Roman empire till the start of renaissance is termed as DARK AGES as no great
construction or development was carried out during this period.
A period of tribal migration which saw the break-up of the Mediterranean economy and the end
of Ancient World). The urban ideal of the antique world came to an end with the
sacking of Roman towns by barbarian invaders (3rd century onward), th whom the
urban culture of Hellenic and Roman tradition meant little.
Economy was rooted in agriculture and the feudal system was the new order.
Merchants & craftsmen formed guilds to strengthen their social & economic position.
Wars among the rival feudal lords were frequent.

PLANNING
1.Early medieval town was dominated by church or monastry & castle of lords.
2.For protective measures, towns were sited in irregular terrain, occupying hill tops or islands. Towns assumed informal &
irregular character.
3.Church plaza became a market place.
4.Roads generally radiated from church plaza& market plaza to gates with secondary lateral roadways connecting them.
5.Castle was surrounded by wall & moat as a protective elements.
Irregular pattern in planning was devised to confuse enemies; as enemies unfamiliar with town.
Open spaces, streets, plazas developed as an integral part of site.
Streets were used for pedestrian while wheels were restricted to main roads

EUROPEAN TOWNS DURING THE DARK AGES

The Barbarian Invasions caused:
1 The general destruction of Roman cities (except in Spain);
2 Townsmen, having lost urban livelihood, to move to the safer countryside.
3 thousands of Roman cities, while seldom disappearing completely, to shrink physically, much like the gold towns of
Australia; for example, the conqueror Alaric the Goth defended Nimes From within the walls of its Roman arena; Arles
experienced a similar reduction in its urban Area, leading eventually to the establishment of a complete small medieval town
within the Circumferential walls of the Roman arena1 The strongest areas of urbanization left by the Romans were in Italy
and along the shores of the Mediterranean while the proliferation of Cities diminished going northward into areas inhabited
by Germanic Tribes.
4 establishment of a new pattern of life in the former Roman provinces (i.e. Most of Europe). Centre of gravity moves
northward to Frankish and Carolingian Empires. Barbarians despised city life and permanent settlements of civilized nations:
cities, walls and Human-made environment appeared unnatural to the Franks, Saxons, Jutes, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Visigoths,
etc.
Accordingly, the new lords of Europe, after 450 A.D., were bound to the soil, to nature, and Led a rural existence. They were
hunters, animal breeders and warrior peasants of youthful,Unbridled vigour and strength, seizing land where possible, as
their ancestors had done 1,000 years before them.

The Unplanned town

No town was ever wholly unplanned in the sense of being a randomly distributed assemblage of houses and public
buildings. Every town once had a nucleus that defined its purpose. This might have been a natural feature such as a river
crossing or a physical obstacle that necessitated a break of bulk, the transfer of goods from one mode of transportation to
anotherfrom ship to land, from animal transportation to a wheeled cart. The nucleus might also have been a castle or
natural place of security or defense, a church or an object of pilgrimage.
The streets would probably have originated in the paths by which people approached this nuclear feature and would have
formed a radiating pattern, interlinked by cross streets and passageways.
Some roads would have derived from the ways by which people walked or drove their animals to the surrounding fields.

The Planned Town

It had laid out straight streets, intersecting at right angles, and thus enclosing rectangular blocks. This is, indeed, the street
plan demonstrated in Piraeus even today. Such a planned town implies the existence not only of an overall authority, but also
the need to create a relatively large center of population.
The planned European city was not restricted to those that derived from the Greeks or the Romans. Similar conditions
during the Middle Ages contributed to similar developments. The medieval king or baron might found a city on an empty
tract of land. It might be nothing more than an open-ended street, its houses aligned along each side with their burgage
plots reaching back behind them. It might consist of streets intersecting at right angles. The one pattern would be straggling,
the other compact. It might be that agriculture was more important in the one than in the other, or, more likely, that the need
for security in a hostile environment dictated a more compact plan around which a wall could be built. Such towns could be
found in all parts of medieval Europe.

THE WALLED TOWN

Security was a major factor in the creation and growth of most towns. The Middle Ages were a lawless time, and most
citizens had much to lose not only from the activities of the common thief, but also from the depredations of ill-disciplined
armies who made it a practice to live off the country.
There was, therefore, some safety in numbers, and, added to this, the medieval town usually took steps to defend itself
against these evils.
During the dark centuries that followed, urban housing and public buildings decayed, but walls survived, though
doubtless increasingly ruinous. When urban life began to revive, their walls were still there, an object lesson in fortification
and urban security. In town after town in western Europe the walls that had given their citizens protection under the empire
were patched and repaired and, here and there extended to take in a newly developed suburb, again made to serve.

CITIES IN TWELTH & THERTINTH CENTURY

The city of middle ages grew within the confines of the walls.
While the population was small, there was space in the town, but when it increased the buildings were packed
more closely and the open spaces filled.
Result was intolerable congestion, lack of hygiene and pestilence.

NAARDEN is a municipality and a town in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands, shaped in the form of a
star. This small town is a textbook example of a popular style of fortification that evolved in Europe during the 16th century.
Naardens star fortification is complete with fortified walls and a moat which are in as good as state as five centuries ago. In
fact, Naarden is one of the best preserved fortified towns in Europe today.

1.CARCASSONNE
Carcassonne is located in theAudeplain between two great axis of circulation linking the Atlanticto theMediterranean seaand
theMassif Centralto thePyrenees.
Its strategic importance was quickly recognized by the Romans who occupied its hilltop until the demise of their western
empire and was later taken over by theVisigothsin the fifth century who founded the city.
Irregular pattern for streets is seen. It contains market square,castle & church of St.Nazzair.
Carcassonne is a fortified medieval walled city in southwestern France.
The City of Carcassonnes double row of fortified walls run almost two miles long and accentuated by 56
imposing
watchtowers.
The city of Carcassonne followed a irregular pattern of planning composing of market square, castle and church.
The fortification was protected by the construction of a defensive wall some 1,200m long. The fortifications, consisting of
two lines of walls and a castle, which is itself surrounded by fortifications, extend over a total length of 3km
Irregular pattern of streets are seen.
The market square has narrow streets which also follows a irregular pattern.
The walled town of Carcassonne is roughly rectangular in shape, up to 525 meters long and 250 m wide. It is surrounded by
its medieval double enclosure wall; the inner curtain is 1245 m in length, with 29 towers, while the outer has 18 towers and is
1320 m long.
The outer wall contains seventeen towers and barbicans. Most of the outer towers were built with open sides facing the inner
walls so that if taken the towers could not provide protection for the attackers.

NOERDLINGEN

A Cathedral
B Moat
City of Germany, marked by a walled enclosure dominated by the church st. George main road radiated from the
town centre to the city walls.
It shows the radial & lateral pattern of irregular road ways with the church plaza as the principal focal point of the town.
- is a most typical form of radial plan with a regular oval to circular shape or outline.
- originally a Roman settlement but town structure evolved in medieval times around a central growth point: a Royal
Frankish Court.
- town gradually formed successive rings of buildings (rather protective of its precious centre) around nucleus.
3.CITY MOUNT ST. MICHEL

It was the picturesque town.

It was church larger than the palace that dominated the medieval town of
St. Michel .
The town was enclosed within a protective wall . The artisan were sensitive
to the form & material of the building erected. Under their guidance
and care was exercised in the placement of, and relation between , structure of
the town which gave the picturesque town.

RENAISSANCE
INTRODUCTION
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the
Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historic era, but
since the changes of the Renaissance were not uniform across Europe, this is a general use of the term. As a cultural
movement, it encompassed a resurgence of learning based on classical sources, the development of linear perspective in
painting, and gradual but widespread educational reform. Traditionally, this intellectual transformation has resulted in the
Renaissance being viewed as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern era. Although the Renaissance saw
revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic
developments and the contributions of such polymaths as
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term "Renaissance man"

ades brought the concentration of the people to towns situated of the main cross roads.

le hand machines.

strategies and old fortifications were found inadequate.

nd hence, the insecurity of life of the poor also increased.

formal and monumental buildings drawing upon the classical heritage of Rome.

Mainly two types of manifestation are noticed in this period:

the kings.
For example: Versailles in France, Canberra in Australia and Washington D.C. in U.S.A. major parts of London in U.K. was
designed by Christopher wren.
squares, piazzas (plazas).
For example:
The piazza of St. Marks, Vience.
Piazza of St. Peters.
Piazza Del Popolo, Rome.
Place des Victores, Paris.

Piazza San Marco

Even Napoleon called the Piazza San Marci the most beautiful reception room in all Europe. All who entered the city of
Venice in the past, did so at St. Marks Square, where the ships brought in the visitors. The ambiance of this magnificent
square is incomparably beautiful. Lined with beautiful historic buildings such as the St. Marks Basilica, the Doges Palace
and the Procuracies. High above everything else stands the imposing Campanile.
The history of St. Marks Square is long. Previously, the square was traversed by a canal and was used as a growing area for
fruits and vegetables. In 1174 the Venetians filled in the canal and paved it over with bricks in 1267. Since this time, it has
been the religious, political and social centre of Venice. The white marble lines across the square are from the 18th century
and mark the locations of the market stalls, which were located here during the week when a large market took place. Today
St Marks Square is both ballroom and boulevard. The vast majority of visitors of Venice begin or end their visit of Venice
here and enjoy one or two coffees in one of the famous square cafes.

ST. PETER'S BASILICA

St. Peter's Basilica is a Late Renaissance church located withinVatican City.
Designed principally by Donato Bramante ,Michelangelo, Carlo Madernoand Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is the most
renowned work of Renaissance architecture and remains the largest church in the world.

MICHAEL ANGELO (A.D. 1474-1564), a famous Florentine sculptor, and painter of the roof of the Sistine Chapel in the
Vatican (A.D. 1508), representing the Fall and Redemption of Mankind, also turned his attention, late in life, to architecture,
but reckless detail mars his work. He finished the Farnese Palace, and carried out the Dome of S. Peter but perhaps his best
work was the reconstruction of the Palaces of the Capitol (A.D. 1540-1644) grand examples of one-order buildings.

His principal works at Florence were the Mausoleum (or New Sacristy) having statues of his patrols, Lorenzo and Giuliano
de Medici, and the Laurentian Library (A.D. 1524), both at S. Lorenzo.
S. Peter, Rome was the most important building erected in the period, and many architects were engaged upon it. In plan it
was a Greek cross, the later extension of the nave and aisles toward tne east practically bringing the whole scheme to a Latin
cross. This wras probably effected so as to inclose the whole of the area of the previously existing church. The nave, 80 feet
wide, consists of four bays of immense size, the central crossing is covered by the dome, 137 feet 6 inches in diameter, and
the short transepts are terminated by semicircular a'pses, the western arm being precisely similar. The high altar stands under
the dome, within a "baldachino," 100 feet high, over the alleged, tomb of S. Peter.
A vestibule at the East end extends the whole width of the church, the chancel being at the west end.
The interior has one gigantic order of Corinthian pilasters, crowned with semicircular barrel vaults, 150 feet high.
The walls are faced with plaster, and colored to imitate marble, producing a rich effect, and the dome is beautifully decorated
in
mosaic.

PLAN OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA

VERSAILLES IN FRANCE
It was during the 17th century that the King of France, then Louis XIII, invited by the Lord of Versailles, came to Versailles
to hunt. The site pleased the King, and in 1622 he bought a parcel of land in the forest for his personal hunting. Then, two
years later, in 1624, he bought other parcels of land and constructed a gentlemans hunting house or gentlemans castle.
In 1632, the King then purchased the entirety of the surrounding land, and even the seigneurie (meaning a local jurisdiction
governed by a lord) of Versailles and its enlargements, while at the same time transforming the gentlemans castle. Note that
until this period of time, the King had lived in Paris (in the Louvre), in Saint Germain-en-Laye, or in Fontainebleau.

illes.

itectural forms to an emphasized by colonnades and entrance lined by avenues.

MODERN VERSAILLES
The city developed according to the plan designed by Louis XIV, who, in the 18th
Century inspired the layout of the city of Washington. Versailles is the Prefecture of the
department of the Yvelines and has close to 90,000 inhabitants. Regional administration sits
there: the Prefecture and the general counsel. Versailles also has one of 30 French universities
with approximately 14,000 students. This is also a garrison city, which inherited role of the
monarchy. Several military organizations are located in Versailles, including the 5th regiment
of military engineers, the national French police force (that includes, among others, the
GIGN), and the central location for the equipment of the land army
In terms of economics - tourism, administration, and the army constitute the principal sectors
of activity in Versailles: for example, Nexter (for armament, assault tanks, rifles), Citron
Sport (rally cars and the champion of world rallies led Sbastien Loeb in the last years).
There are city congresses and theater (every year in June, the month of Molire the streets
are animated with theatrical renditions). The theater Montansier, constructed in 1780, was the
1st French theater. It is a city of commerce with, in particular, its renowned markets.

REFERENCES:
www.wikipedia.org
www.britannica.com
www.google.com
History of architecture by sir Fletcher
The Medieval City Dr.Norman Pounds
Hilary L. Turner, Town Defences in England and Wales: An Architectural and Documentary Study
Illustrations from Towns of the World by Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg
William Langland, William Langlands Piers Plowman: The C Version: A Verse Tranlsation, ed. George Economou,
Middle Ages Series (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996)