Marcin Grodzicki
DOI: 10.21858/msr.57.03
Vol. no: 57
The article addresses issues relating to the municipal charters granted to current and former cities in Mazowieckie Voivodeship. The spatial arrangement of cities throughout history is presented chronologically. The analyses were linked to factors relevant to cities – population size and the concentration of listed buildings. The theoretical foundations were outlined and the historical background was brought forward, including events that have influenced the subject matter. The loss of municipal charter was examined and attention was paid to the causes of decline. Selected cities, representative of the voivodeship, were described in detail. Reference is also made to contemporary processes associated with the establishment of new cities and the restoration of municipal charter to former cities, with particular attention paid to the period following 1989. The article highlights the link between granting municipal charter and a settlement network. It presents foundation of a city as one of the main factors shaping the contemporary settlement pattern of Mazowieckie Voivodeship.