The European City

Available for the first time in paperback, this is a history of the European city from the early Middle Ages until the present. It is also an account of the relationship between urban life and the history of ideas and culture. The book discusses the survival of urban culture following the barbarian invasions from the north and the Islamic from the east, after the collapse of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. It covers the great period of urban expansion between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. The two centuries following the formation of the first European states brought concentrated power and influence to their capitals. 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. The book concludes with chapters on the effects of industrialization and modern transportation.

Introduction. 1. Emergence from the Ancient World. 2. The Creation of a New Urban System. 3. The Touching Up of the Urban Environment. 4. Confrontation with the World. 5. The Difficult Adjustment to the Laws of Perspective. 6. The Industrial City. 7. Europe in the Contemporary World.

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), The History of Architecture and the Renaissance (7th edition 1988) and The History of the Oriental City (2nd edition 1989).

"Leonardo Benevolo has achieved a remarkable double: he now only produces a convincing synthesis of the history of Europe′s cities since the early Middle Ages, but also avoids superficiality and false generalization . . . a most timely, distinguished and scholarly contribution to the literature on European urban history." The Geographical Journal "Leonardo Benevolo writes with energy and verve on the European city." The Times "Professor Benevolo′s extensively illustrated book reflects the author′s architectural expertise. He examines successfully the classical city, the medieval town and the drive for urban perfection in the Renaissance." History