The Guardian The story of cities, part 1: how Alexandria laid foundations for the modern world The Guardian - Jack ShenkerIn the first in a 50-part series charting the history of the planet’s urbanisation, Jack Shenker explores the ancient metropolis of Alexandria, which set a powerful precedent for future cities all over
The Guardian Story of cities #2: Rome wasn't planned in a day … in fact it wasn't planned at all The Guardian - Adrian Mourby in RomeThe grid system which the Roman republic exported all over Europe was never employed in the capital itself. The city has always lacked a coherent plan – save for the monumental temple that once towered
The Guardian Story of cities #3: the birth of Baghdad was a landmark for world civilisation The Guardian - Justin MarozziThe foundation of al-Mansur’s ‘Round City’ in 762 was a glorious milestone in the history of urban design. It developed into the cultural centre of the world If Baghdad today is a byword for inner-city
The Guardian Story of cities #4: Beijing and the earliest planning document in history The Guardian - Oliver WainwrightThe seemingly incoherent sprawl of modern Beijing is based on meticulous plans to bind citizens together under imperial rule. Conceived as a means of enforcing social order, the impact of planning remains
The Guardian Story of cities #5: Benin City, the mighty medieval capital now lost without trace The Guardian - Mawuna KoutoninWith its mathematical layout and earthworks longer than the Great Wall of China, Benin City was one of the best planned cities in the world when London was a place of ‘thievery and murder’. So why is left?
