Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city. The example of Wrocław/Breslau in the 16th and 18th centuries

Maria Legut-Pintal

doi:10.37190/arc240109

Abstract

Social inequalities in cities had their spatial dimension already in pre-industrial times. The quality of living space in a historic city was influenced by various factors, such as distance from the city centre, proximity to infrastructure, access to water, trade routes, markets, as well as unfavourable or oppressive neighbourhoods. The value of the properties depended on their function, the structural condition of the buildings, the size of the structures and the plots. In this paper, we proposed a method to evaluate and valorise the residential space of a pre-industrial city based on an assessment of its use value. We carried out an exemplary analysis on the example of Wrocław, a medium-sized city in Central Europe. We used historical, archaeological, iconographic data and geospatial analyses developed in a geographic information system environment. We carried out the evaluation within individual factors for a city divided into building blocks for two periods – around 1550 and around 1750. By comparing the results for these two periods, we attempted to trace the changes that occurred as a result of the city’s development and historical events. The overall picture allowed us to create a characterisation of residential space across the city. We verified the method by comparing the results obtained with data from tax records. The result obtained is consistent with knowledge of the spatial distribution of wealth in the city, indicating that the model can be applied to the analysis of other cities where tax records have not been preserved.

Keywords:
historical geographic information system
housing space
scoring method

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2024

1(77)

Maria Legut-Pintal*, Mikołaj Grosel**

Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city.

The example of Wrocław/Breslau in the 16

and 18

centuries

Introduction

The urban space is a changing over time and hetero-

geneous structure shaped by its inhabitants, while at the

same time exerting an inuence on the community living

there [1], [2]. The zoning of urban space began with the

formation of urban structures and the dynamics of change

depended on the growth rate of the centre. In the course

of the city’s growth, prestigious as well as degraded areas,

inhabited by a poorer population, emerged within the city.

The problems of social inequality are an aspect frequently

addressed in the current economic literature, also concern-

ing contemporary cities, and are based on dierent meth-

odological approaches [3]. One aspect of inequality is its

DOI: 10.37190/arc240109

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

spatial dimension, which is clearly visible in medium and

large cities. It could take dierent scales, from a house

to the neighbourhood. It also had dierent faces, such as

marginalisation, exclusion and gentrication [4], [5].

Social stratication in the pre-industrial city was re-

ected in both material and intangible culture, including

the form of a house. The bourgeois house was considered

an attribute of belonging to an urban community [6].

However, already during the period of the formation of the

charter town in Central Europe, a house was also a tool for

displaying the ambitions and nancial capabilities of the

townsmen. Studies taken by architecture and art historians

often focus on the outstanding and most prestigious ele-

ments, beyond the standard of habitation [7]–[9]. On the

other hand, the results of archaeological research contrib-

ute information about the quality of life in dierent parts

of the city but are often only able to address the architec-

ture and interior design to a limited extent [10]–[12]. Very

rarely is it possible to capture an aggregate picture of the

housing conditions of the entire urban community.

* ORCID: 0000-0001-6406-1038. Faculty of Historical and

Pedagogical Sciences, University of Wrocław, Poland, e-mail:

maria.legut@gmail.com

** ORCID: 0000-0002-0832-876X. Faculty of Architecture,

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland.

Abstract

Social inequalities in cities had their spatial dimension already in pre-industrial times. The quality of living space in a historic city was influenced

by various factors, such as distance from the city centre, proximity to infrastructure, access to water, trade routes, markets, as well as unfavourable

or oppressive neighbourhoods. The value of the properties depended on their function, the structural condition of the buildings, the size of the

structures and the plots.

In this paper, we proposed a method to evaluate and valorise the residential space of a pre-industrial city based on an assessment of its use value.

We carried out an exemplary analysis on the example of Wrocław, a medium-sized city in Central Europe. We used historical, archaeological,

iconographic data and geospatial analyses developed in a geographic information system environment. We carried out the evaluation within

individual factors for a city divided into building blocks for two periods – around 1550 and around 1750.

By comparing the results for these two periods, we attempted to trace the changes that occurred as a result of the city’s development and historical

events. The overall picture allowed us to create a characterisation of residential space across the city. We verified the method by comparing the results

obtained with data from tax records. The result obtained is consistent with knowledge of the spatial distribution of wealth in the city, indicating that

the model can be applied to the analysis of other cities where tax records have not been preserved.

Key words: scoring method, historical geographic information system, housing space

1(77)/2024

74 Maria Legut-Pintal, Mikołaj Grosel

Subject and aim of the research

This paper addresses the problem of validating the

residential space of a historic city on the basis of anal-

ysis of architectural elements and their spatial relations.

The basic assumption adopted in the presented model

is the existence of residential space of various quality

within the city. The dierences in quality are related to

the way space is developed, the distance from the focal

points of the city, the availability of infrastructure and

the presence of positive and negative neighbourhoods.

It was assumed that some elements of urban space in-

crease the value, others decrease it, and some are neutral.

The object of interest is the “non-public” space, built up

with bourgeois houses and their facilities. Public squares

and streets, gardens, cemeteries, as well as religious and

public buildings, manufactures without a residential part

and fortications were excluded from the subject of the

study, however they were treated as elements aecting

the residential space [13].

In the case of positive impacts, there was an ampli-

cation eect – a prestigious building made its immediate

neighbourhood more prestigious and increased its value.

On the other hand, a troublesome neighbourhood – due

to perceived negative aspects, such as noise, unpleasant

smell or “negative symbolic and moral connotations”

– caused a decrease in the comfort of living in the area,

and consequently reduced the value of nearby properties.

This attempt at valorisation is intended to provide

a better understanding of the historic city space, its struc-

ture and the dynamics of change. The study presented

here seeks to identify the zones of the city preferred by

the higher social strata, as well as those necessarily cho-

sen by the poorer.

State of the research

Space valorisation is a tool used today in planning

and management. It is understood as an assessment of

the possibility of a given spatial unit to full a specic

function: residential, agricultural, industrial or recrea-

tional, taking into account selected characteristics of

space [14]. Valorisation methods are also used to assess

the natural values and tourist attractiveness of regions.

So far, spatial valorisation methods have not been used

in historical studies.

Among the valorisation methods used in the assess-

ment of the natural environment and spatial planning is

the scoring method [15]. This method makes it possible

to assign a point value (quantitative) to individual quali-

tative characteristics (diagnostic variables). Summing up

the points for individual features allows for a synthetic

evaluation of a given spatial unit in terms of its attrac-

tiveness, as dened from the research point of view. The

synthetic value may be based on a system of weights

taking into account the value of the dominant factor or it

can be modied in the case of a specic variable.

The theoretical basis of this study is inspired by ele-

ments of the holistic model of real estate appraisal [16].

This model assumes that each heterogeneous good is

characterised by a set of consumer- and producer-rele-

vant characteristics that are relatively homogeneous. It

therefore requires determining which factors were deci-

sive in the perception of the living space and impact its

value. In doing so, we consider “value in use” as dened

by Adam Smith, akin to its utility, and ability to satisfy

needs [17]. The factors we take into account in the case

of modern property valuation are dierent from those

that were relevant in past epochs. In order to identify

them, historical studies were necessary.

The evaluation of the space of a historic city, unlike

the methods used in planning, is veried by confron-

tation with written and material sources, and aims to

match potentially obtainable data, for example in the

course of future archaeological research. This links it to

the sociotopographic method, which is the study of past

urban society and its spatial structures [18], [19]. The

basis for research on urban sociotopography are histori-

cal sources, primarily various types of tax registers, rent

books, documents of purchase and sale transactions,

inventories, wills, but also iconography, historical car-

tography and material sources. The sociotopographical

method, however, does not undertake value judgements

and does not allow extrapolation to areas about which

the sources are silent.

Inspired by the above methods, an attempt was made

to develop a model for valuing the city’s living space in

dierent periods of time. Its result is a presentation of

information from dierent types of sources in a spatial

context. The method is easy to modify, making it pos-

sible to create similar summaries for other centres and

dierent historical periods, ignoring dierences in mon-

etary systems.

Description of the method

The main features that characterised the property and

could inuence its value were identied on the basis of

analyses of source material, iconographic representa-

tions, historical, cartographic and archaeological docu-

ments. The factors were grouped into categories: loca-

tion, technical and economic aspects. Due to the specic

layout of the pre-industrial city, enclosed by a ring of

town walls, which constitute the impassable boundary

of the municipal law, it was decided to select basic elds

that correspond to the blocks of buildings. The block of

buildings was dened as urban development complexes

separated by trac routes or other boundaries, water-

courses or city walls. This division resembles neighbour-

hood structures [20]. This also facilitates the interpre-

tation of the obtained results. In the case of cities with

a subdivision of about one hundred building blocks, such

an analysis would be suciently informative. Howev-

er, the existence of signicant size dierences between

blocks can be a problem. In some cases, it may be jus-

tied to combine smaller blocks or to subdivide excep-

tionally large blocks in order to standardise the size of

the basic unit. Building blocks occupied by public build-

ings were eliminated from the assessment.

Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city 75

Fig. 1. Wrocław around 1550. Distance of

individual quarters from the centre, scale

divided into five categories (elaborated by

M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 1. Wrocław około 1550 roku.

Odległość poszczególnych kwartałów

od centrum, skala według podziału na

pięć kategorii (oprac. M. Legut-Pintal,

M. Grosel)

Fig. 2. Wrocław around 1550. Quarters

with access to municipal waterworks

(elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal,

M. Grosel)

Il. 2. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Kwartały

z dostępem do wodociągów miejskich

(oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Fig. 3. Wrocław around 1550. Map of

good and bad neighbourhoods - colour

intensity corresponds to a point scale

(elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal,

M. Grosel)

Il. 3. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Mapa

korzystnego i uciążliwego sąsiedztwa –

intensywność koloru odpowiada skali

punktowej (oprac. M. Legut-Pintal,

M. Grosel)

76 Maria Legut-Pintal, Mikołaj Grosel

Wrocław – case study

The spatial structure of left-bank Wrocław was a re-

sult of a multi-stage process [21]. The central part of the

urban layout consisted of a rectangular square around

which a grid of approximately perpendicular streets was

delineated. The densely built-up area was surrounded

by a defensive wall and a moat. By a deed of 1261, the

area outside the walls was incorporated into the town. In

1263, the New Town was founded. In the years 1299–

1345, the enlarged city was included in a new perimeter

of the city wall. At the end of the Middle Ages, the area

surrounded by the ring of fortications covered nearly

100 ha. The structure of this area survived almost un-

changed until 1807.

In the case of Wrocław, we do not have a source al-

lowing us to determine the variability of real estate

prices in the pre-industrial period. Mateusz Goliński ex-

amined the social topography in detail and showed the

transformations of urban space in the Middle Ages [18].

However, it does not reach deep into the modern period.

Tax registers from the Baroque period are the most in-

formative source about the assets of property owners but

linking them to specic properties is dicult [22].

Historical plans and vedute provide insight into the

architectural and spatial structure of the city. Most of

them represent the city’s residential district only sym-

bolically and cannot be treated as historical sources

[23]. However, there are plans of Wrocław character-

ised by great detail: Weihner’s plan from 1562, known

mainly from a 19

-century copy, the Vroom-Gross plan

and the Hayer plan. Among the reliable ones is Wer-

ner’s drawing plan from around 1750. In many plac-

es, however, the plans have been simplied, and resi-

dential buildings, as the least interesting, were treated

schematically by the authors. Complementary data for

the study of urban space are brought by historical-ar-

chitectural research and studies in the history of urban

planning [21], [24]–[26]. Large-scale rescue archaeo-

logical excavations in city centres have often allowed

the recognition of structure and development dynamics

of entire building blocks [27], [28]. The results of the

architectural and archaeological investigations allowed

for in-depth studies of the quality of material culture on

selected plots.

Elements of urban space have changed over time,

for example due to new developments, degradation of

the urban fabric or disasters. The results of the anal-

ysis will be more accurate the shorter the time slice

for which we acquire a set of data. However, we as-

sume that, apart from certain violent events, such as

war damage, res and the subsequent reconstruction

of the city, the response time to change is relatively

long. Hence, it seems that collecting source material

from a longer period of time, for example, 30–50 years,

of which it is known that there were no violent events

aecting the change in the structure of the city, will not

result in signicant distortions on the scale of the entire

centre. The determination of the time period for which

the data will be comparable should be considered sep-

arately for each surveyed city, as it may depend on the

dynamics and specics of its transformation. In order to

carry out the analysis on the example of Wrocław, two

moments were selected: around 1550 and around 1750.

The rst was documented on a 1562 Weihner view plan

and represents a city at the end of the Middle Ages,

still having some unbuilding reserves for further devel-

opment. The second representation of the city around

1750 is in Friedrich Bernhard Werner’s panorama. It

shows Wrocław at a time when building reserves were

exhausted and it was necessary to increase the height

of buildings .

Residential blocks were assessed in all identied cat-

egories, creating tables of attributes. The source of input

data included the mentioned iconographic documents,

historical socio-topographic analyses [18], documenta-

tion from archaeological and architectural studies, and

their compilations [24], [26]. Due to the presence of dif-

ferent types of variables, the point range was determined

for each variable separately (see below). Analyses and

cartographic materials were developed in a GIS envi-

ronment. The overall assessment consisted of the sum of

partial ratings. Blocks that received the highest cumula-

tive ratings were considered the most attractive for hab-

itation, while those with the lowest ratings were deemed

the least attractive.

Analysis results – Wroclaw around 1550

1. Distance from the city centre

This distance for Wrocław was dened as the distance

of the centroid of the building block from the central point

of the main market square. In order to assess a ve-point

scale was applied using Jenks natural breaks classica-

tion method. The highest score was given to areas near

the market, the lowest to those furthest from the centre

(Fig. 1). The most peripheral zone was located in the

New Town. Signicant distances from the market were

also characteristic of sectors located in the outer city, in

the vicinity of the outer gate of Mikołajska Street and the

gates of Świdnicka, Sakwowa and Oławska. The building

blocks located in the northern part of the Old Town, with-

in the inner perimeter of the walls, near the castle and near

the Piaskowa Gate, were also characterised by a relatively

large distance from the centre.

2. Access to clean water

The course of the city’s water supply system in the 16

century was mapped based on historical and archaeolog-

ical sources. At this time investments were made to bring

clean water to the plots. A system of water pumps (Was-

serkunst) was modernised, pumping water from the Oder

and Oława rivers into ceramic waterworks. In the mediae-

val period, clean water could be drawn directly from the

canal of the Oława, the former city moat. However, in the

century, its cleanliness deteriorated, and the proxim-

ity to the river ceased to be an advantage. The plots adja-

cent to the water supply were considered to have access to

water and were given a score of 1, the others were given

a score of 0 (Fig. 2).

Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city 77

Fig. 4. Wrocław around 1550. Proximity of the trade route: A – east-west route, B – north–south route (elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 4. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Sąsiedztwo szlaku handlowego: A – szlak wschód–zachód, B – szlak północ–południe (oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

A B

Fig. 5. Wrocław around 1550. Density and character of development -

dark quarters mean compact development, light ones indicate

a significant share of green areas

(elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 5. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Gęstość i charakter zabudowy

– ciemne kwartały oznaczają zwartą zabudowę, jasne wskazują

na znaczny udział terenów zielonych

(oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Fig. 6. Wrocław around 1550. Quality of residential buildings

– the intensity of colour means an increase in the quality of buildings,

from wooden to multi-story brick buildings

(elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 6. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Jakość zabudowy mieszkalnej

– intensywność koloru oznacza wzrost jakości zabudowy

od drewnianej po wielokondygnacyjne budynki murowane

(oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

3. Good and bad neighbourhoods

Based on historical sources, a catalogue of elements

inuencing the perception of neighbourhoods was iden-

tied. A favourable neighbourhood was associated with

the proximity of one of the market squares. The inuence

of the market extends to all blocks near the market. The

prestige of the neighbourhood was also enhanced by the

seats of the authorities and the residences of the elite. In

the middle of the 16th century, Wrocław there were a few

ducal houses of the Dukes of Brzeg, Oleśnica and Opole,

as well as spectacular residences of the bourgeois elite.

The facilities generating impacts that diminished the

value of space included: hospitals, shelters and prisons

were excluded, sick and poor people gathered. Large pro-

duction plants such as municipal slaughterhouses, found-

ries or tannery clusters generated burdensome impacts,

including noise, smell, re hazard.

The map shows points that may have both a positive

and negative impact on the value of neighbouring build-

ings. Favourable inuences increased the score by 1, and

unfavourable inuences decreased it by 1. In the case of

an apartment block that has several factors at play, the

points add up (Fig. 3).

4. Proximity to the trade route

Wrocław was intersected by two main trade routes: the

east-west route known as Via Regia, connecting Kiev to

Western Europe, and the north–south route leading from

the Bochemia to Greater Poland and Pomerania. The ar-

rangement of these routes inside the city walls underwent

changes. During the period of interest, the main course

of the east-west route connected the Oławska Gate and

Mikołajska Gate. The north–south route connected the

Świdnicka Gate and the New Oder Gate, near the impe-

78 Maria Legut-Pintal, Mikołaj Grosel

rial castle. These routes intersected in the southeastern

part of the market square. A parallel thread of the route

running from south to north through the Sakwowa Gate

and Piaskowa Gate was removed with the elimination of

the Sakwowa Gate. The proximity of the trade route was

suitable for commercial premises and for people engaged

in merchant trac, including inns and beer brewing. Hav-

ing property near it should be considered positive from

the point of view of income opportunities. The building

blocks adjacent to the trail received 1 point, the others

0 points (Fig. 4).

5. Density and character of plot development

Dense development occurred within the boundaries of

the inner town, within the rst city walls and along the

main roads leading out of it. Homestead development

characteristic of the suburbs was found in the New Town

and in the southern part of the outer city, along the outer

city walls. On the basis of the degree of development of

the plot and the proportion and nature of green space with-

in the plot, the following categories corresponding to the

scores were determined (Fig. 5):

0 – undeveloped area constitutes more than half of the

building block’s area (vegetable gardens, orchands,

farm character), suburban type of development,

1 – continuous development, developed area consti-

tutes 25–50%, there is free space for development

(building reserve),

2 – continuous development – indicating that the

buildings on the street frontage are connected in all

four sides within the building block; undeveloped area

constitutes less than 25% of the sector, no building re-

serve, there may be greenery with features of a deco-

rative garden, courtyards surrounded with buildings.

6. Building construction

Due to the parameters of building construction that

can be determined from the sources, four categories were

distinguished for the assessment of individual building

blocks (Fig. 6):

0 – predominantly low-rise buildings (one or two sto-

reys), numerous timber-framed buildings (main and

outbuildings), numerous shingle roofs;

1 – brick buildings (two or more storeys), single out-

buildings and half-timbered buildings, also occasion-

ally with shingle roofs;

2 – all brick buildings, two or three storeys, tile roofs;

3 – all brick buildings, three, four storeys or more,

tile roofs, there are buildings with prominent prestige

features (for example, with attics, decorative gables,

arcaded courtyards).

The Weihner plan clearly dierentiated the construc-

tion of buildings, including roof coverings. Zones of in-

ferior wooden buildings, potentially vulnerable to re,

were not only found in the peripheral area furthest from

the centre by the walls. Buildings of imsy materials oc-

curred in large numbers along the inner moat, in the area

formerly occupied by the fortications, which was par-

celled out in the mid-14

century. Some of these, on the

west and east sides of the town, were occupied by small

plots of land without facilities inhabited by poorer crafts-

men. In the south-central part, wooden buildings formed

the hinterland of the richer patrician plots. Only in a few

sectors within the inner city were there isolated outbuild-

ings covered with shingles. The most prestigious build-

ings, characterised by architectural ornamentation: attics,

bay windows, rich gables, portal and façade decoration.

They were located, with few exceptions, around the Mar-

ket Square and Solny Square.

7. Average plot area

The average plot area in a building block was calcu-

lated by dividing the area by the number of plots or front

buildings. In Wrocław, no linear relationship was found

between the average plot size in a building block and its

development. It seems that both very small plot size and

very large plot size were not desirable. Plots that were too

small indicate a small house area and lack of facilities,

while plots that ware too large most often indicate empty

space – a building reserve or homestead character of the

development. Plots of average and slightly above average

size were considered optimal. Plots were divided into ve

categories using the Jenks natural breaks method and then

assigned a point scale (Fig. 7):

–1 point – very small plots,

0 points – small plots,

1 point – medium plots,

1 point – large plots,

0 points – very large plots.

Overall assessment

A synthetic picture of the attractiveness of residential

space was created by summing up the scores for individu-

al building blocks. It was noted that the concentric model

is dominant in the distribution of space quality in the city,

with distance from the centre being crucial to the prestige

Fig. 7. Wrocław around 1550. Assessment of the average plot area

– a low rating was marked in white (it was obtained by plots with too

small and too large an area) (elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 7. Wrocław około 1550 roku. Ocena średniej powierzchni działki

– niską ocenę oznaczono białym kolorem (uzyskały ją działki o zbyt

małej oraz zbyt dużej powierzchni) (oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city 79

of the location. It was also possible to note sectors that

break out of this model, indicating the importance of other

factors such as plot size, quality of development, neigh-

bourhood and proximity to commercial routes.

Analysis results – Wrocław ca. 1750

In order to determine the usefulness of the indicated

method in the study of the dynamics of change within the

city, an analogous procedure was carried out for data from

Wrocław circa 1750. Due to the need to adapt the model to

changing cultural norms, as well as the availability of other

sources, it was necessary to adjust some parameters. Some

of the factors examined remained unchanged, for example

distance from the centre, the course of trade routes. Some

factors lost their importance, like access to the water, which

became common during this period. Location of new de-

velopments, such as the forced labour house and military

casemates associated with the construction of the fortress,

and the elimination of others: the relocation of hospitals,

the transfer of the imperial castle to the Jesuits, the loss of

the status of princely residences, aected their neighbour-

hoods. These factors, together with the emergence of new

trends and the availability of plots of land, have also result-

ed in a change of preference in the location of the palaces of

the elite. The evaluation of the criteria of building density

and construction was veried, observing an overall increase

in the density and quality of buildings across the centre.

Results of the comparative analysis

Although there were no dramatic changes within the city

walls of Wrocław during the period under study, the synthetic

assessment of Wrocław from around 1750 diers in several

aspects from the one two centuries earlier (Fig. 8). The over-

all score of individual blocks increased, especially in terms of

the density and quality of housing, which corresponds to the

increase in population. The zone of higher ratings has also

moved further outwards from the centre, covering even the

areas directly bordering the fortications, which is related,

among other things, to the inclusion of large plots of land in

the outer city in residential developments. The decline in the

assessment of residential space in some sectors can be linked

to the negative eects of new developments, including those

associated with the construction of the Prussian fortress.

Verification of the method

The state of preservation and compilation of historical

sources for Wrocław makes it impossible to create a map

of property values around 1550 and around 1750 based on

transaction price data. However, the preserved tax records

allow the property tax value to be assigned to property

owners on individual streets [22]. Unfortunately, accord-

ing to the source it is not possible to assign them to indi-

vidual properties. The analysis of this material does, how-

ever, make it possible to approximate the zones with the

highest and lowest tax-paying owners. The juxtaposition

of the picture obtained by the scoring method with the tax

sources from 1564 and1726, conrms the observations re-

garding the economic zoning of the town.

However, slight dierences indicate the existence of

factors that have not been identied and taken into account

in the model, e.g., location of places with a bad reputa-

tion, destruction of real estate. The observed dierences

may result from both model imperfections and a dierent

tax calculation methodology, which included all property

owned by the owner, not just a selected property.

Discussion

The factors used in the above model and their evalu-

ation can be discussed. We assume that the catalogue of

attributes may vary depending on the specic characteris-

tics of an area. The assessment of the attributes and their

weights should also be carried out with adaptation to the

spatial, economic, social and cultural conditions of the

city in question. Where access to water has been wide-

spread, it will not aect property values; where it has been

rationed, it will be a signicant factor.

Fig. 8. The synthetic assessment of residential space for Wrocław in 1550, and in 1750 (elaborated by M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

Il. 8. Zestawienie syntetycznej oceny przestrzeni mieszkalnej dla Wrocławia w 1550 i 1750 roku (oprac. M. Legut-Pintal, M. Grosel)

80 Maria Legut-Pintal, Mikołaj Grosel

The extent and intensity of the impact of factors is di-

cult to estimate, for example the spread of adverse odours in

a town, the extent of the impact of a market square or a trade

route. For some attributes, their inuence on the assessment

depends very much on the adopted valorisation objective.

The same neighbourhood, from the point of view of residen-

tial comfort, may be perceived as favourable or oppressive.

From the point of view of the value of the property, which can

provide an additional source of income, for example from

renting the premises, the impact of such a neighbourhood

is positive. If we take into account, for example, the noise

generated by trac and tavern-goers, then from the point

of view of the quality of habitation such a neighbourhood

would be negative. Hence, patrician families preferred streets

away from the main thoroughfares for their residences.

Other factors that inuenced the use value of individual

properties were impossible to determine on the scale of

the entire centre. In the case of Wrocław, we have no way

of determining the residential area of the buildings, which

appears to be a fundamental component of valuation for

real estate. However, it can be considered that this charac-

teristic is correlated with values such as location, building

density and building construction – primarily the number

of storeys. It can be assumed that in this case the multi-

dimensional nature of the analysis compensates to some

extent for the lack of this information.

The choice of a basic unit in the form of a building block

may have an impact on the overall model. This choice is

dictated by practical considerations and facilitates analy-

sis, there is no need to exclude streets, squares and public

buildings from the area of the unit. However, the problem of

dierent sizes of units arises. In the case of Wrocław, there

is a clear dierence between the regular building blocks of

the inner city and the large blocks of the outer city. In other

centres, these dierences may be even greater. With large

sectors, we may have to deal with signicant inequalities

within a building block, which will be averaged out and not

visible in the aggregate model. Written sources show that

the tax assessment value for plots located on two streets in

the same block may have diered signicantly. A solution to

this problem could be to divide quarters into smaller units

or to take articial subdivision units, for example, a grid of

squares or hexagons, but this may lead to a reduction in the

clarity of the results.

Conclusions

The simplied space assessment method used in the

above example provides a way to visualise processes that

have so far been presented descriptively and intuitively. It

can also complement historical studies based only on tax

sources. The method will nd application both in stud-

ies of the dynamics of transformation and in comparative

analysis between cities. In the comparative analysis of

pre-industrial cities, it is necessary to take into account the

diverse source base for research and the possibilities of its

elaboration. For many cities, especially those in Central

Europe, archive documentation is often preserved frag-

mentarily, having been destroyed during wars and res.

In the case of large European centres, the data are often so

numerous that their compilation exceeds the capabilities

of research teams. The possibility of a wider application

of the model to other cultural conditions requires adjust-

ing the set of attributes or expanding the number of cate-

gories. Dierent elements may be relevant depending on

climate, environmental conditions, and cultural context.

In the course of further research, we plan to develop and

rene the methodology for comparative studies of cities.

The advantages of the model include conducting dynamic

analyses, the possibility of modifying the model in the

event of acquiring new data, as well as using it to create

visualisations. We believe that the proposed approach can

also be adapted and applied to the evaluation of contemporary

cities in terms of their historical value. It is worth emphasising

the potential of using geographic information system tools

to analyse the structure of a historical city, rather than just

illustrating historical data [29].

The undertaken problem of assessing the residential

space of a pre-industrial city does not exhaust the problem

of wealth inequality within the city. This is because both

the lowest strata of society, who did not own property –

the poor, renters, and the richest strata, who owned several

properties in the city, properties outside the cities or in

several cities, escape from the analysis. The picture could

be complicated even within a single property, owners,

servants and tenants of varying wealth status resided. Many

elements of property status are elusive in spatial analysis

and require in-depth sociological and historical studies.

Acknowledgement

The research was conducted as part of projects funded

by the National Science Centre, grant numbers UMO-

2019/35/B/HS3/00088 and UMO-2020/39/D/HS3/01549.

Assessment of the residential space of a pre-industrial city 81

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Streszczenie

Ocena przestrzeni mieszkalnej miasta przedindustrialnego. Przykład Wrocławia w XVI i XVIII wieku

Nierówności społeczne w miastach miały swój przestrzenny wymiar już w czasach przedindustrialnych. Na jakość przestrzeni mieszkalnej

w mieście historycznym wpływały różne czynniki, takie jak odległość od centrum miasta, bliskość infrastruktury, dostęp do wody, szlaków

handlowych, targowisk, a także niekorzystne lub uciążliwe sąsiedztwo. Wartość nieruchomości zależała od ich funkcji, stanu konstrukcyjnego

budynków, wielkości budowli i działek. W artykule zaproponowaliśmy metodę oceny i waloryzacji przestrzeni mieszkalnej miasta przedindustrialnego

opartą na ocenie jej wartości użytkowej. Przeprowadziliśmy analizę na przykładzie Wrocławia, średniej wielkości miasta w Europie Środkowej.

Wykorzystaliśmy dane historyczne, archeologiczne, ikonograficzne i analizy geoprzestrzenne opracowane w środowisku systemu informacji

geograficznej. Ocenę w ramach poszczególnych czynników przeprowadziliśmy dla podziału na kwartały dla dwóch okresów – około 1550 roku

i około 1750 roku. Porównując wyniki dla tych dwóch okresów, podjęliśmy próbę prześledzenia zmian, jakie zaszły w wyniku rozwoju miasta

i wydarzeń historycznych. Ogólny obraz pozwolił nam stworzyć charakterystykę przestrzeni mieszkalnej w całym mieście. Metodę zweryfikowaliśmy,

porównując otrzymane wyniki z danymi z ewidencji podatkowych. Uzyskany wynik jest zgodny z wiedzą dotyczącą przestrzennego rozkładu

bogactwa w mieście, co wskazuje, że model może być zastosowany do analizy innych miast, w których nie zachowała się dokumentacja podatkowa.

Słowa kluczowe: metoda bonitacji punktowej, historyczny system informacji geograficznej, przestrzeń mieszkalna

References