The courtyard of boroughs of Western Serbia in the 19th century

Abstract

The courtyard in boroughs of Western Serbia is a result of three sources of influence: planned urbanism, origin and activity of the population. The tradition, the rural background of the settlers, the way of economy and the annual income of the household, have gradually influenced the formation of the courtyard. In the development of the courtyards there are three phases: the stage of a village courtyard, the village boroughs phase and the borough's phase. The village courtyard occupies a large area, the house is in the center of the plot, the auxiliary facilities satisfy the economic activity of the household (crop farming, cattle breeding). The courtyards of the village borough contains a condensed surface. The agricultural character of production (mostly, but not the only one) affects the number and schedule of auxiliary facilities. The house is located on the border of the plot (on the road/street side). Due to the high price of the land, the plot has a small width towards the street and develops in depth. The borough courtyard contains a small number of facilities, and the agricultural activity is minimal. The activity of the population: crafts, catering and trade, generate new objects on the yard. The plot is divided into two zones: house, commercial or agricultural yard. Auxiliary facilities on the plot are located in two ways: along the side of the plot, and on the back side of the plot. The courtyard gives a character to the settlement. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the yard and preserve them through contemporary urban planning.