Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?

In this study, we have taken on the subject of medieval residential towers in the chartered city of Wrocław. We discuss residential towers and tower houses that have been identified through archaeological/architectural, historical and iconographic research. The location of these towers in the city...

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Main Authors: Roland Mruczek, Maria Legut-Pintal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences 2024-06-01
Series:Biuletyn Historii Sztuki
Subjects:
Online Access:https://czasopisma.ispan.pl/index.php/bhs/article/view/1816
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author Roland Mruczek
Maria Legut-Pintal
author_facet Roland Mruczek
Maria Legut-Pintal
author_sort Roland Mruczek
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we have taken on the subject of medieval residential towers in the chartered city of Wrocław. We discuss residential towers and tower houses that have been identified through archaeological/architectural, historical and iconographic research. The location of these towers in the city is associated with areas occupied by the elites of knightly and bourgeois origin, concentrated in the vicinity of the Market Square and the main roads leading from it. The model of residential towers can be found among the oldest masonry buildings from the 13th century and at the threshold of the early modern period, as evidenced by bourgeois constructions from the 16th century. It has been demonstrated that tower buildings could be associated with the foundations of the bourgeoisie, thus drawing inspiration from patterns known from Italy and Germany, serving as a means of emphasising the status of the founder. City-wall towers could also serve residential purposes; however, they did not possess the attributes of prestige.
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publisher Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences
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spelling doaj-art-24dde9fba23f4690b5f458d6d374c0d52025-08-20T01:57:34ZengInstitute of Art of the Polish Academy of SciencesBiuletyn Historii Sztuki0006-39672719-46122024-06-0186210.36744/bhs.1816Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?Roland Mruczek0Maria Legut-Pintal1Department of History of Architecture, Art and Technology, Wrocław University of Science and TechnologyInstitute of Archaeology, University of Wrocław In this study, we have taken on the subject of medieval residential towers in the chartered city of Wrocław. We discuss residential towers and tower houses that have been identified through archaeological/architectural, historical and iconographic research. The location of these towers in the city is associated with areas occupied by the elites of knightly and bourgeois origin, concentrated in the vicinity of the Market Square and the main roads leading from it. The model of residential towers can be found among the oldest masonry buildings from the 13th century and at the threshold of the early modern period, as evidenced by bourgeois constructions from the 16th century. It has been demonstrated that tower buildings could be associated with the foundations of the bourgeoisie, thus drawing inspiration from patterns known from Italy and Germany, serving as a means of emphasising the status of the founder. City-wall towers could also serve residential purposes; however, they did not possess the attributes of prestige. https://czasopisma.ispan.pl/index.php/bhs/article/view/1816Middle AgesWrocławtower hauseresidential towerarchitecturearchaeology
spellingShingle Roland Mruczek
Maria Legut-Pintal
Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
Biuletyn Historii Sztuki
Middle Ages
Wrocław
tower hause
residential tower
architecture
archaeology
title Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
title_full Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
title_fullStr Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
title_full_unstemmed Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
title_short Residential Towers of the Left-Bank Wrocław. An Unusual or a Forgotten Phenomenon in the Medieval Cityscape?
title_sort residential towers of the left bank wroclaw an unusual or a forgotten phenomenon in the medieval cityscape
topic Middle Ages
Wrocław
tower hause
residential tower
architecture
archaeology
url https://czasopisma.ispan.pl/index.php/bhs/article/view/1816
work_keys_str_mv AT rolandmruczek residentialtowersoftheleftbankwrocławanunusualoraforgottenphenomenoninthemedievalcityscape
AT marialegutpintal residentialtowersoftheleftbankwrocławanunusualoraforgottenphenomenoninthemedievalcityscape