HIS243H1 Lecture Notes - Town Square, Early Modern Europe
Document Summary
Social structures in early modern europe (cont"d) Architectural profiles for cities thought them out around towers. City is a symbol, there is a strong civil patriotism and also religious patriotism you feel strongly about your city because you feel god feels strongly about it. Cities were also centralized around churches and shrines. These shrines were often of city walls and had miracles and legends surrounding them. Cities were also divided politically into quarters, sixths, etc. There is a patriotism to these as well. Cities would be fractioned and families would try to control these fractions. Early modern cities didn"t have areas devoted to a particular trade, so there is a mishmash of sorts. If you want to succeed in urban politics, you must first win over a neighbourhood. If someone is trying to cease power, the have to control the city square. Centres of cities have everything: civic centre, legal centre, etc. The city centre is considered neutral space.
