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The author begins by discussing the survival of urban culture
following the collapse of the Roman and Byzantine Empires and then examines the
great period of urban expansion between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries.
The years following the formation of the first European states brought concentrated
power and influence to their capitals, where new ideas of national identity were
reflected in the organization of traditional urban space. The conflict between
city and country had emerged by the sixteenth century and the author shows how
this influenced the colonial towns of the two Americas. He concludes with chapters
on the effects of industrialization and modern transportation, in particular the
devastating impact of the automobile. This unique synthesis of urban, social,
cultural and political history will be welcomed by all those interested in European,
intellectual and urban history. Leonardo Benevolo
has held positions as Professor of the History of Architecture at the universities
of Florence, Venice and Palermo, and visiting professorships at the universities
of Yale, Columbia, Caracas, Tehran, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. His many books include
The Origins of Modern Urbanism (10th edition, 1989), An Introduction to Architecture
(14th edition, 1990) and The History of Architecture and the Renaissance (7th
edition, 1988). |
