City and river in pre-industrial East-Central Europe. Case study: Wrocław

Abstract

The aim of the article is to assess the relationship between living conditions in the city and the natural environment determined by a large lowland river. This problem was examined via the example of Wrocław, the main city in Lower Silesia, which developed on the border of cultural and political zones. The natural hydrographic network and the scope of anthropogenic changes are presented. Also analysed are aspects of the land’s suitability for construction, water supply techniques for crafts and townspeople’s houses, drainage techniques, protection of street and squares surfaces against mud, and the use of water for defensive purposes. The chronological framework extends from the beginning of settlement to industrialisation and the introduction of modern water and sewage techniques in the 19th century.