Wiener Straßendorf: a historical consideration of Vienna’s pristine linear settlements

Abstract

The paper deals with the genesis of the Viennese Straßendorf (street village, a special form of linear settlement). In general, it can be stated that the Straßendorf does indeed represent the archetype of an enclosed street space and can thus be described as the nucleus of urbanity and arguably also as one original form of a settlement of short distances. The following text refers to street villages that are located in moderate terrain, as opposed to longitudinal settlements that develop on slope ridges or narrow mountain valleys. In any case its linear growth is limited: when a certain length is reached, and further longitudinal expansion is no longer convenient, parallel or orthogonal streets are introduced to the system. Many street villages in formerly rural areas are now what can be considered the main street of an otherwise often scattered settlement. In other cases, such as in Vienna, expanding cities have incorporated the former villages into their metropolitan street network, where they now typically serve as an urban sub-centre, or represent an arterial road and a development axis for the city. Regarding the city of Vienna, more than 150 medieval and early modern villages have been identified in today's municipal area, many of which are still recognisable in the townscape. To date, those patterns¾their historical development and their current urban and functional structure¾have not been studied systematically. This is what our paper aims for: A comprehensive research of historic literature and maps will allow a detailed description and localization of this special form of linear settlements in and around Vienna. The comparison of the form and functions of historical street villages with their contemporary counterparts serves as a basis for understanding the inner configuration of a Straßendorf and their overarching macro-structural incorporation into the urban body.