The course focuses on the history and development of the city of European tradition and culture and includes various topics: the beginnings of the urbanization in the area of first civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt and their influence on the European city; ancient (Greek and Roman) urban planning; medieval city planning; Renaissance theories and realization of ideal cities; baroque and classicist towns;
the town planning and urban reconstructions of cities in the 19th century. The course also gives overview of the development of urban culture in Croatia with the most valuable cases which confirm the Croatian European tradition, and at the same time show the uniqueness based on local geographical, socio-political and cultural-historical circumstances. The development of the city is presented in historical sequence and with a description of the main urban planning themes: general characteristics, urban elements (squares, streets, public spaces), theories and theoreticians, urban legislation, typology and urban form, selected cases, etc.
The aim of the course is to acquire knowledge necessary to recognize the cultural-historical context, which has importance in contemporary architectural and urban planning interventions in the historic city. Furthermore, aim is to enable students to recognize permanent urban and architectural values and principles, based on the knowledge of the historical development of cities, which regardless of cultural and historical periods, can be applicable today and in the future urban planning of cities and settlements. The course affirms 25 centuries of urban culture and tradition on the Croatian territory which developed under various influences and belongs to the European cultural context.