It is the only Polish translation of the first book by Joseph Rykwert – one of the inest architectural historians and critics.
It is hard to imagine a situation when the formal order of the universe can be reduced to a diagram composed of two intersecting coordinates on a plane. But this is exactly what happened in antiquity. A Roman citizen walking along the cardo knew that is was the axis around which the sun revolved, and when he sauntered along the ecumanus, he was aware that he was following the path of the sun. The entire universe and its meaning could be read from the institutions of his city – he felt at home in it. We have relinquished all this beautiful certainty as to how the world functions. Joseph Rykwert fascinatingly reconstructs Roman ideas, customs and rituals associated with the town– its idea and form.
Fifth volume in the series Heritologia, edited by Jacek Purchla.
Publisher: International Centre of Culture in Cracow
