Urbs - Magyar várostörténeti évkönyv 7. (Budapest, 2012)
Recenziók
584 Abstracts London and Paris became constant royal centers and capitals relatively early, that is to say, by the end of the 11th and 12th centuries. (Previously, there were some “equally important” royal centers both in England and in France.) However, several different royal buildings were used as concrete royal cities in both cities. In case of London after the Norman conquest, Westminster situated Western from London’s Roman city wall became one of the main residences. Practically its palace complex was established directly next to that Benedictine monastery from Westminster was named after. The former turned to be the English monarchs’ primary place of coronation and funerals. In the city, in its Eastern side, along to the Roman wall, was the Tower built up, which main purpose was to be an asylum for the kings as well as a fortress to watch over the occupied city. The Tower’s territory was extended several times at the expense of the city. A castle with a similar purpose could have been in the Western side as well, but it was totally ruined. By the ages apart from the latters, other buildings and objects in London’s wider territories and near to the city were implemented as residency by the English kings, but none of them became as important as the formers. In case of Paris, the first and most important royal residency, the Palais de la Cité was built within the walls of the Roman castrum situated in the isle of the Seine. Although it was surrounded by certain forts, it was rather an urban palace. Its territory was enlarged at the expense of the neighbouring district of the city. It was a place of dwelling and centre of state life at the same time, however it lost its political role during the 1360s. From the aspect of defence the Louvre fortress was more secure. The Louvre was built along the city’s western wall, but outside of it. In the 1360s it was reconstructed to a comfortable castle, but - just as in case of the Tower — the Louvre was considered as an asylum. At the same time the objects of the Hotel Saint Pol evolved into an expressly popular royal residence. It was emerged on purchased bourgeois properties in the outlying part of the city. That complex without any kind of defensive structures and furnished with huge gardens was similar to our palace complex of Visegrád. Although it served mainly as a place for the monarch’s and his family’s private life, royal offices could be found there as well. Within and out of the city there were other territories suitable for residences which were available for the king. The most particular was built in Vincennes, in the place of a formal hunting lodge. In its final form it would have been considered as some kind of huge fortified ideal city, but it was finished just in some parts and remained as a great castle. As a conclusion it can be stated that London and Paris emerged from other royal centres, but these cities had become permanent seats and capital cities in one earlier than it happened in case of Buda. Although in both cases the role of the centre of state
