House Owners – Tenants – Lodgers: The Topography of Tenement Houses in Medieval Prague
House Owners – Tenants – Lodgers: The Topography of Tenement Houses in Medieval Prague
Author(s): Martin MusílekSubject(s): Regional Geography, Sociology, Economic history, Social history, Rural and urban sociology, History of Art
Published by: Univerzita Pavla Jozefa Šafárika v Košiciach
Keywords: Bohemia; Prague; Old Town of Prague; New Town of Prague; Urban space; Tenement housing; Rental market; Lease contracts; Space mobility; Migration; Middle Ages
Summary/Abstract: This study investigates the understudied phenomenon of tenement housing in medieval Prague (mid-14th to mid-15th centuries). Using an interdisciplinary approach, it analyzes lease contracts, town house layouts (from historical and construction history perspectives), Old Town tenement books (1427-1434), and the social structure of inhabitants (owners, tenants, lodgers). The study finds that house ownership was largely limited to the upper and upper-middle classes, while craftsmen rented living and workspace. A 14th-century construction boom led to increased tenement housing, significantly impacting the city's architecture and urban structure. The article further explores terminological distinctions between inhabitants, analyzing their social and legal standing.
Journal: The City and History (Mesto a dejiny until 2019)
- Issue Year: 13/2024
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 6-36
- Page Count: 31
- Language: English
