Layouts of the early market settlements in Central Poland (former Łęczyca-Sieradz region)

Majority of the urban centers founded in this region goes back to very early times. In the settlements under investigation the early urban layout is preserved as originally planned and has not undergone significant changes during their development. Distinct traces of such layouts can be seen in several towns - Inowłódz, Grabów Łęczycki, Nowe Miasto on the Pilica river and Łubnice being the most valuable among them. The preserved layouts have the shape of an oval, a trapezium, a triangle, etc. Our investigations seem to give proof of the native genesis of the oldest market settlements in that region. A certain typical form of market settlements can be observed, similar to the one in Mazowsze, Śląsk and Małopolska regions. They are not particularly outstanding in any way. They do not even differ in details. One can assume that at least part of them was built according to a plan. It can not be excluded however, that the newly founded settlement was built in the place of the preexisting, spontaneously formed market place. Despite lack of source records on the subject, our field and cartographic investigations to a great degree confirm the assumptions on the genesis and market character of many settlements in that region. Where such records are available investigations fully confirm their medieval market character. It must also be mentioned that such layouts or only their elements, mainly spatial, are preserved particularly in small towns or settlements that used to be small towns in the past. It is due to the fact that most of them have not developed into significant centers, thus maintaining the traces of the original structures, as later accumulations were slight.W artykule dokonano próby odtworzenia pierwotnego rozplanowania wczesnomiejskich osad targowych leżących na obszarze dawnych województw łęczyckiego i sieradzkiego. Przedmiotem badań jest 16 wczesnośredniowiecznych i średniowiecznych ośrodków targowych, o których charakterze informują nas zachowane wzmianki źródłowe (pisane i kartograficzne). Uzupełnieniem ich były badania terenowe, mające na celu odnalezienie śladów dawnych struktur przestrzennych. Efektem końcowym jest rekonstrukcja pierwotnego rozplanowania badanych miejscowości.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 zostało dofinansowane ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę