Recovery of urban development stages of town Rashkiv

In this article, the authors considered the development of Rashkiv (Raszków in Polish and Raşcov in Rumunian), the fortified settlement which is situated on the Middle part of the Lower Dnister Region. An attempt of reconstruction of the most important stages of its town-planning biography of the 15th-18th centuries was made. The authors based their research on newly identified sources. The systematization of the historical chronology of the most important events which have influenced the formation of the defensive structures and the urban environment of Rashkiv has been carried out. In the course of the 15th-18th centuries, four major urban planning periods were identified: the Lithuanian – fort Karaul in the form of a defensive roundel type castle, further – Zamoyski’s town fortress with a fortified downtown, then – the fortifying of the suburbs and, finally, – trade and handicraft town without any defense function. At each stage, an attempt was made to hypothetically localize separate elements of the city – fortifications, historical roads, street planning system, civil and sacral dominant elements. The authors all available source data – archival sources, historical and contemporary cartography, toponymics, field surveys, surveys, and iconographic materials for analysis.

Remains of the 1st period represent today ruins of earth shafts under the fortress. This hillfort is monument of archeological heritage and it is protected by state. Ukrainian historian M. Hrushevskyi connects appearance of the fort here with necessity todefend the river crossing and the trading way.

From the 2nd period we have today just two preserved bastions of the early of 17th century and some relicts of urban planning system, for example, part of the historical market square.

The article also substantiates the value and necessity of preserving the historical plan of Rashkiv which was, in particular, developed under the influence of the development of defense strategies of its time.

3rd period was graphically hypothetically reconstructed in many ways. To a greater extent it is because we have not enough materials to create a definite model of the urban development of this period.

Research is based on historical topographic works of 17th and 18th centuries and onlysince the early 19th century we have more detailed historical plans to make more far reaching hypotheses. Using historical photos of early 20th century, authors succeeded in discovering historically determined rhythm of urban environment in Rashkiv. Unfortunately, it is disappearing now due the physical ruining of historical substance of old town and reconstruction according present-day inhabitants’ ideas about country houses or summer cottages.

The present results are significant in elaborating historical and reference architectural plan of the settlement, registration of the newly discovered objects of cultural heritage as monuments of architecture and urban planning, archeology, history and nature. New master plan of Rashkiv urban development should be based on our complex architectural and urban planning research to preserve cultural legacy of Rashkiv and to use it for modern economical and tourist revival.