Opevnění měst středověké Evropy – Razím Vladislav (2024)

City fortifications, with their towers, gates, wall walks and moats, are among the principal symbols of medieval Europe. Like castles and their ruins, they remain important sources for researchers in many fields, while also attracting the interest of the general public. Many towns preserve extensive remains, and in some cities and smaller settlements the walls have retained an almost medieval appearance and atmosphere. Protecting this fragile cultural heritage is therefore essential. Following the author’s three-volume work Medieval Fortifications of Czech Cities, this book examines the subject across Europe. It focuses mainly on the architectural and historical development of urban walls from the early Middle Ages to the dawn of the Renaissance, while also considering earlier ancient periods. The text is accompanied by numerous photographic, pictorial and plan illustrations, most of them taken by the author during decades of research and presented here together for the first time. The book places Czech urban fortifications and fortification architecture in general within the context of medieval Europe and ranks among the most comprehensive works on the subject in its conception, structure and scope. The contents are in Czech.