Cartography and iconography as diachronic analysis tools of the urban fabric ─ Évora and Setúbal

Abstract

The evolution of cities can be interpreted through graphic elements, such as that recommended by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (1st century bC.) (Maciel, 2006), whose forms of expression were plans, elevations and perspectives, which prove to be precious and reliable instruments for the reading of cities. It is important to establish these elements, which appear as representations of cities, in various stages of construction of their urban fabrics, in documents such as cartography or iconography. These are relevant testimonies in the analysis and allow a careful reading of the "reality" of cities at different times. In addition to understanding them as representations of a certain period, they allow the current reinterpretation of the urban fabric, and should be considered dynamic instruments in the understanding of the reading of the cities. Considering cartography and iconography from several epochs, we will make a comparative analysis of the historical urban fabric of two cities, using differentiated urban implantation and development (Évora and Setúbal). To reach these objectives, we will read and interpret morphological elements of the Medieval City (fortifications, squares, streets, blocks, markets, singular buildings among others) and these respective witness documents, to understand the diachronic evolution in their similarities and differences.