NEW INSIGHTS ON THE CHANGES OF TOWNSCAPE IN 14TH-CENTURY TARTU
NEW INSIGHTS ON THE CHANGES OF TOWNSCAPE IN 14TH-CENTURY TARTU

Summary/Abstract: In this article I will discuss some of the changes in the townscape of Tartu in the 14th century and analyze how these changes could have been related to the re-planning of the town area. The topics examined in this article cover the medieval waste management, the erection of stone buildings, the existence and purpose of the defences in the riverside part of the town, and the workers behind all the construction activities in Tartu. The present research suggests that the disposal of waste was regulated by the town laws which were valid only within the limits of the town area, enclosed by town wall, and therefore did not apply to the suburbs. In earlier studies, the introduction of brick buildings to Tartu has been dated from the end of the 14th century to the 15th century. Based on new information, the introduction of brick buildings can be traced to the early 14th century. It can be suggested that the town was ready for extensive planning and erection of walls only after the urban community was populous enough to carry these works out as these activities needed a large number of local workers. The recent research shows that in the area of present-day Estonia the development from the first traces of an urban settlement to a fully complete medieval town took approximately 50–100 years. According to the information discussed in the present article this seems to be the case in Tartu as well. The dates presented in this publication support the hypothesis that the erection of the town wall and the re-planning of the town area began in the first half of the 14th century.

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