Capital and port cities on small islands sallying forth beyond their walls : a Mediterranean exercise

Capital-cum-port cities on islands tend to be disproportionately large and cosmopolitan; their multiple effects on their peri-urban interface are quite dramatic when there is hardly any hinterland to speak of. In these cases, urban growth is often manifest by the ‘city as island’ breaching its fortified encasement, spilling over and embracing a physical as well as cultural scape that does not necessarily share its rubric of ideas and epistemologies. The breaching of city walls on small islands (by locals, and not by invaders) is thus a symbolic as well as material manifestation of a creeping and pervasive urban project of modernisation which nevertheless leaves puddles of anti-urban angst and bravado. This paper engages with this ‘articulation by compression’ dynamic, and fleshes it out in relation to three Mediterranean capital-cum-port island cities: Palma (Spain), Valletta (Malta) and Corfu /Kérkyra (Greece).peer-reviewe

¿Ocio amurallado? El paso de la sociabilidad local al mundo asociativo internacional. Dos casos comparados: Évora-Madrid, 1789-1929

The transition from local sociability to the international associative world: two cases compared, Évora- Madrid (1789-1929) The present analysis deals with the modifications that took place in questions of leisure during the coming of Liberalism in the XIX century and early XX century. It focuses on two cases in the Iberian Peninsula: Madrid, as a representation of an urban capital that changed from township to city; and Évora (Portugal), as an example of the capital of a rural province, Alentejo. In the process of modernization the former demolished its city walls, while the latter remained within the limits of its walls. Key words: Leisure, sociability, city walls, Évora, Madrid«CIDEHUS-UID/ HIS/00057/2013» e «POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007702»

Windmills and the production of gunpowder in Malta

Each and every discussion revolving around the history of windmills in Malta has always and, wrongly so, focused on their exclusive use for grinding wheat and barley, without taking into consideration that some of these windmills, in particular those situated behind the fortified walls (but not only), could have had a dual function; that of being powder mills and machines for the grinding of corn. Old maps of the Grand Harbour have clearly documented the use of windmills in Malta forthe exclusive production of gunpowder at the turn of the seventeenth century. For security reasons, gunpowder mills were mostly situated within the city walls. However, in the absence of historical records, the major difficulties are: which of these windmills were used for milling grain? Which had a dual function? Which were used exclusively for producing gun powder? This paper seeks to answer these questions.peer-reviewe

El tapial de las murallas de Granada

Español: En este trabajo se establecen las características del material empleado en las construcciones de los distintos recintos amurallados de la ciudad de Granada, que se conocen históricamente como "Alcazabas de Granada" y arrabales, distinguiendo entre material de interior de muro y revestimientos. Como objetivo final, este estudio nos ha permitido establecer conclusiones más precisas sobre la metodología constructiva utilizada en estos recintos amurallados, y la evolución de ésta a lo largo de las distintas épocas. Inglés: This paper deals with a general analysis of the materials used in the city walls, commonly known as Alcazabas, of Granada. The study concentrates in the material of the inner walls as well as the exterior. This has allowed for a deeper insight in the construction methods used for city walls during different ages

The so-called “beach-tower” of Kyrenia city walls, Cyprus

[EN] The so-called “beach-tower” is the smallest of the three remaining towers belonging to the Kyrenia’s medieval enceinte. Semi-circular in plan, with circa 6 m of diameter, the tower is today partially obliterated by the medieval urban tissue and is visible only from one side. Built during the twelfth-thirteenth centuries, this harbour overlooking tower is raised on a pedestal in the north-west inner corner of the city walled enclosure. The tower shows on the outside two windows that might belong to a later phase, being too wide as defensive openings, and includes fragments of the adjoining city walls that ran to the east, towards the castle and to the west towards the beach city gate. Kyrenia city’s walled defensive system was dismantled by the Venetians when the use of gunpowder cannon became prevalent, however, traces and records still remain enshrined in the medieval constructions. The paper, following the historical research, attempts to date the construction of this tower, and by examining the fortification remains with a digital survey, applies the comparison with other coeval examples together with the comparative analysis of the different masonry types.Camiz, A.; Griffo, M.; Valletta, E.; Khafizou, A. (2020). The so-called “beach-tower” of Kyrenia city walls, Cyprus. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1093-1100. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2020.2020.11425OCS1093110

The Jarash City Walls Project: Excavations 2001 – 2003: Final Report

This final report is a straight forward account of the excavation findings per season and the summation of the research results directly related to the finds. This report, therefore, does not provide updated scholarly discussions on Gerasa’s and the later Jerash city walls and urbanisation which were not the aim of the project. Discussions subsequent to our published findings can be found in related current publications by authors cited in this bibliography.Council for British Research in the Levant/CBR

Geoarchaeological evidence of the AD 1642 Yellow River flood that destroyed Kaifeng, a former capital of dynastic China

Rising global temperatures will increase the number of extreme weather events, creating new challenges for cities around the world. Archaeological research on the destruction and subsequent reoccupation of ancient cities has the potential to reveal geological and social dynamics that have historically contributed to making urban settings resilient to these extreme weather events. Using a combination of archaeological and geological methods, we examine how extreme flood events at Kaifeng, a former capital of dynastic China, have shaped the city’s urban resilience. Specifically, we focus on an extreme Yellow River flood event in AD 1642 that historical records suggest killed around 300,000 people living in Kaifeng. Our recent archaeological excavations have discovered compelling geological and archaeological evidence that corroborates these documents, revealing that the AD 1642 Yellow River flood destroyed Kaifeng’s inner city, entombing the city and its inhabitants within meters of silt and clay. We argue that the AD 1642 flood was extraordinarily catastrophic because Kaifeng’s city walls only partly collapsed, entrapping most of the flood waters within the city. Both the geology of the Yellow River floods as well as the socio-political context of Kaifeng shaped the city’s resilience to extreme flood events

Comparison of Urban Form based on different city walls between Quanzhou and Newcastle upon Tyne

[EN] Quanzhou in south-eastern China was built in the Sui Dynasty, having more than 1,000 years of history. Its urban development led to the triple walls in a different period of time. Its unique landscape of multiple walls is a one of the Chinese ancient city patterns. However, the massive stone-built city wall pattern like Newcastle also has more than 1000, years of history in western cities .City walls maintain the preeminence as the city’s most powerful fixation line. The expansion of the wall in Quanzhou shows how the time-space changes, while Newcastle' s fringe belt is relatively stable, which forms a different urban form. This article mainly compares the following aspects: (1) The development of Quanzhou fringe belt; (2) Differences of fringe belts between the multiple walls city and the sole wall city; (3) Differences of land use in intramural zone between two cities. This paper analyzes the differences of fringe belts caused by city walls between Quanzhou, (China) and Newcastle, (England), and their influence on the urban form between the East and the West.This paper is co-funded by the Youth Program of the National Natural Science Foundation (51308232), the National Natural Science Foundation Projects (51578250), the National Science and Technology Support Program of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2015BAL01B01), the Social Development Guidance Project of Fujian Province (2015Y037), the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (2016J01238), Science and Technology Innovation Fund for Young Teachers of Huaqiao University (ZQNPY213).Subsidized Project for Cultivating Postgraduates Innovatives Ability in Scientific Research of Huaqiao UniversityWang, D.; Zheng, J. (2018). Comparison of Urban Form based on different city walls between Quanzhou and Newcastle upon Tyne. En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 167-175. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.5061OCS16717

Contested heritage: an analysis of the physical transformation of Derry/Londonderry’s siege monument

Transformations of Derry/Londonderry’s medieval city walls during the twentieth century have shaped an urbanism of segregated settlements within a city of religious confrontation. The heritage of military blockades, peace lines and watchtowers imposed upon the city’s Walls has influenced the disintegration of public space and created areas of no man’s land around the peripheries of the monument. The aim of this paper is to examine physical transformation and trace the consequences of urban planning regarding the historic city Walls. This change includes the shifting of residential settlements in the Bogside/Fountain areas and the movement of Protestant settlements towards the Waterside of Derry/Londonderry. The history and heritage of the Walls are analysed by focusing on four periods: 1600, when the first medieval walls were constructed; the housing crisis of 1948; the 1968 urban area plan and the beginning of the ‘Troubles’; and the present day. This analysis offers an understanding of the spatial relationships between enclaves and the monument over key moments of conflict and political change. The paper reveals that the manifestations of the Walls have aided in the further division of religiously segregated communities in Derry/Londonderry

Ground penetrating radar assessment of historical buildings: the study of the roofs, columns and ground of Santa Maria del Mar, in Barcelona / GPR assessment of the basilica Santa Maria del Mar

Santa Maria del Mar is a magnificent gothic church built between 1329 and 1383 in a neighbourhood outside the city walls, over the remains of a more ancient church. The inhabitants of this district (merchants, downloaders of the port, ship-owners artisans and craftsmen) contributed and took part in the construction of this building. Nowadays it is one of the most representative gothic buildings of Barcelona. The structure was completely studied with GPR in order to obtain useful information for a further restoration. Some of the most interesting results were obtained during the evaluation of the vaults and roofs of the building. Radar images demonstrate that the inner structure was designed in order to diminish the load on the arches and walls. Hollow elements were used to support partly the roof in some areas. Moreover, walls, floors and columns were also assessed, and also the ground outside the building. A large number of graves were located under the church floor, but also some of the radar images suggest the existence of large underground walls. The GPR study of the columns and walls was completed with a seismic survey that demonstrates the existence of zones of non-consolidated materials and defined the joints of the ashlars.Postprint (author's final draft