City public spaces act as a holistic concept that cannot be dismembered and is a systemic structure that exists in the flow of time and carries traces of history, politics, culture, economic development and technological progress. In general, this structure is stable, but always changing in detail, and its growth and shape are only partially under control. This process of city formation has no final result, it is absolutely continuous. Given the constant development of open public space and its complex multifaceted structure, there is a need to derive general principles of its formation and development. This determines the relevance of the issue under study in this article. City public spaces - all undeveloped space surrounding the city; dismembered separate built-up areas; space that is part of a single building massif. Urban open spaces are diverse - they differ in size, configuration, ratio of natural and artificial components, type of functions, and role in shaping the city's image. Existing theoretical studies in this area provide an understanding of the importance of formulating general principles for the formation of open public spaces in cities for their further organization. Thus, the article summarizes the general principles of their development - the principle of "multifunctionality", the principle of "inclusiveness", the principle of "comfort", the principle of "hierarchy", the principle of "contextuality", the principle of "public openness". The relevance of using these principles for the organization of open public spaces in cities is shown, and recommendations for improving the quality of these spaces are provided. The influence of the above principles on the characteristics and properties of open public spaces of cities on their physical, functional and social content is revealed.