Civic Building Activities in Riga and Munich
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Architecture and Urban Planning 10.2478/aup-2019-0006 2019 / 15 Civic Building Activities in Riga and Munich: Parallels in Urban Development and Stylistic History Patrick Brunner, Peter Kifinger,Elke Nagel, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany Abstract – Two distant towns, two founding initiators and, at least for tablish a new trading right at the shores of river Isar. To the dismay parts of the historic development, strictly separated political systems do not of bishop Otto I, the imperial award allowed the House of Welf actually suggest a range of similarities. Yet, in closer examination during to settle in close neighbourhood of the diocesan town Freising at an academic student research project on major public buildings in Riga and Munich, several remarkable references occurred: some triggered by a convenient crossing of the river, to build a new toll bridge and outstanding individuals, some due to pan-European architectural flow. By to introduce a long-distance trading station for salt, wood, wine comparing the key stages of urban development, mainly on the analysis of and cloth. Due to a restriction on long-distance trading only, the historical plans and vedutas and by detecting stylistic links in the cities’ regalia could be awarded to the duke [1, 23], but revenues had public buildings, striking parallels became visible, as well as significant differences in detail. to be shared, with the duke holding market and staple rights and the bishop holding toll and court rights. A constellation causing Keywords – Civic buildings, urban development, Riga and Munich. trouble for the centuries to come. Henry implemented his ter- ritorial plan with force: court records herald the destruction of the close-by bridge and local market in the existing episcopal INTRODUCTION settlement Föhring [1, 36] in 1158. Munich’s foundation and the traders’ security in the walled town proofed to be a catalyst for Within the narrative of European urban history, the alternation the region. The first settlement’s traces, enclosed by the first wall of unifying, transnational influence and interdependence with pe- as soon as in 1170, are still visible in the urban shape today. Set riods of separating national movements makes up a fairly regular at the crossing of the important salt route from East to West and pattern. As part of an academic student research project on public the Hansa-Italy-trading path from North to South, salt trading buildings in the urban context at TUM, pan-European parallels in as the main source of income is visibly reflected in the town plan the development of cities were analysed by a comparison of two by the east-westerly main road (Neuhauserstraße) and the large towns: Riga and Munich. Both towns date back to a similar time market square shows the key status of the commercial cross- of foundation and start at the common roots of Henry the Lion’s roads (Marienplatz). Soon after the foundation, in 1180, Henry’s municipal charter, both were founded at sites that were strategi- influence was terminated by court sentence, conveying cally favourable for trading. The research focuses on large public the reign over the market to the House of Wittelsbach. Despite buildings as indicators and catalysts of urban and architectural the Wittelsbachs’ rightful lordship, it took them decades to settle development to visualize possible analogies and different aspects their ruling power, which still had to be shared with the clergy. in the cities’ history. By a detailed examination of ancient plans In 1210 Munich was referred to as holding a town charter. Yet, and vedutas, the main stages of urban and civic development, local citizenship did not gain a voice before 1239, when the first such as extensions of the walled-in medieval towns, early subur- council of lords was assembled. Amongst the most important ban development and defortification and the substantial growth remains of the “leonic town” are the ducal court (Alter Hof), the during the 19th century, were compared. In addition, the analysis market square with the central mint and the churches St. Peter and of stylistic tendencies in significant buildings and urban spaces St. Mary, the latter being appointed as the second parish church contributed further indications to the perspective of our research. in 1271 to accommodate the increase of settlers. Riga’s history as a trading place began with regular summerly th 12 Century: Foundation of Trading Posts in Medieval Europe trade meetings fostered by the topographic conditions: The interwoven history began with a vision: In the late 1150s, a safe harbour for the ships, suitable storage sites and when Henry the Lion founded the Hansa towns Lübeck and Ros- a stronghold [2, 19‒24]. Tradesmen first brought Christianity to tock along the northern coast of the empire, his greater plan de- Livonia. The church appointed the first Livonian bishop in 1186, sired a trans-continental trading route from Sweden to Italy. Me- but it took almost two decades of fierce missionary conflicts to dieval trading is the key to the first intersection of the towns’ establish the Christian faith. Bishop Albert founded Riga finally histories: Riga as an assembly location for Baltic Sea tradesmen in 1201, following a papally evoked crusade along river Duna. and part of the Hanseatic League, Munich as the major stapling Soon the population increased because of the founder generously point in the Bavarian plain along the great rivers. granting commercially promotional privileges and implementing Munich was first to be founded, at the same time as the estab- the successful Lübisch municipal law [3, 40], drafted by Henry lishment of the Hanseatic League. As market spots in the southern the Lion for operational excellence of his Hansa towns. Henry’s part of the realm lay in the episcopal sphere of control, extraordinary commercial laws determined the first development Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony and Bavaria and a relative of periods of both Munich and Riga. Frederick Barbarossa, called for the emperor’s permission to es- 44 © 2019 Patrick Brunner, Peter Kifinger, Elke Nagel This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), in the manner agreed with Sciendo. Architecture and Urban Planning Patrick Brunner, Peter Kifinger,Elke Nagel, Civic building activities in Riga and Munich: parallels in urban development and stylistic history 2019 / 15 Fig. 1. Development of the medieval towns of Munich and Riga, the extensions Fig. 2. Town model, built to scale by carpenter Jakob Sandtner in 1570 [Figure: marked in different colours [Figure: TUM, Chair for Building History, Buildings I. Mühlhaus, TUM, Chair for Building History, Buildings Archaeology and Archaeology and Heritage Conservation]. Heritage Conservation]. Fig. 3. Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) with late Renaissance façade (copperplate engraving by M. Wenning, 1701 / before redecoration around 1860 / after renova- tion in Gothic revival forms 1861‒1864 [5, 89, 108, 115]. 13th to 15th Century: Residence and Citizenry Town cooperative building activity awakened, and Munich now pos- Since Munich was the sole legitimate place for mongering sessed all buildings characteristic of a civic town: a town shed at salt in the region, all traded salt had to be transported via the “Anger” (1410), a weigh house (1413), bread and meat markets the Munich bridge and had to be stapled in town [1, 77]. In conse- (1426), an ar mou r y and a g rain bar n (1431), a salt bar n (1443), mills at quence a first enlargement became necessary in the 13th century, the Isartor (1462), and a communal bakery (1474) [4, 22‒24]. absorbing the suburbium along todays street named “Tal” with The multifunctional Munich town hall (1470) typologically rep- the craftsmen’s dwellings, such as Lederergasse (leather work- resented the spirit of the medieval civic society, shaping the town shops’ alley), Pfistergasse (baker alley), Fischergaßl (fishermen’s centre for centuries to come. A former gate was refurbished into alleyway). The second wall was commenced in 1301, creating a tower, linking the older building of the council hall and the new protected but subordinate urban structures for the less wealthy representative building with a ballroom and shops. The design of inhabitants. The gated core within the first wall was reserved for the adjacent weigh house and the 16th century town treasurer’s hall the rich merchants. Crafts operating with fire or emitting smells can be seen in the Renaissance town model built by Jacob Sandt- were relegated to the outer quarters [1, 65]. Within the walls, Mu- ner [5, 30] (see Fig. 2). The town hall’s importance, albeit chang- nich’s municipal law allowed the citizens to trade, which boosted ing, can be read from the effort undertaken to keep it up to date, their influence considerably (Fig. 1). with stylistic redecorations ranging from the late Gothic origi- Although switching from ministerial control to a citizen’s nal (J. von Halspach copied the main features of the high rising town, the duke still held the sovereign’s privileges and ap- gables, a vaulted hall in the upper floor and trading arbours in the proved the town council [1, 62‒66]. Between 1397 and 1403 ground floor from the older Augsburg dancing hall) via a late Re- the citizens hatched several revolutionary riots, which initiat- naissance formal design to a French Baroque Façade (A. Demmel ed the construction of a new residence, the “Neue Veste”, as 1778/1779) and lastly several steps of Gothic Revival forms in a north-eastern extramural extension. In the town bourgeoise the 19th century by A. Zenetti in 1861‒1864 (Fig. 3) [5, 30, 109]. 45 Architecture and Urban Planning Patrick Brunner, Peter Kifinger,Elke Nagel, Civic building activities in Riga and Munich: parallels in urban development and stylistic history 2019 / 15 Fig.