**3.1 Village road**

These municipalities are always characterized by an elongated shape around a significant communication line. The houses turn into the gutter road, i.e., longer side and form a continuous row of buildings without gaps. This type of rural settlement does not occur within the area of interest, most often it can be found in the territory of South Moravia. The public space in these municipalities has been

reduced from the beginning only to the edges of roads and municipalities usually have no other common areas. In history, so much typical areas for common grazing were, if possible, delimited in the space behind the barns. Extensive public space in these villages, at least in visual form, was made possible by frequent front gardens of terraced houses.

The example of the municipality Loděnice (district Brno—Venkov) was chosen as an example of this way of organization of the municipality. To compare a similar type of municipality within the South Bohemian Region, it is possible to use the example of the municipality of Dobrá (Prachatice district).

Village Loděnice comes from the pre-colonization period from the end of the twelfth century. Over time, the village has developed into its present form, when most houses were built as a row brick gutter development. The common public areas of the municipality were, like other road municipalities, reduced to empty areas of roads and part of the undeveloped space between two rows of houses. There is also an early Gothic church of St. Margaret, whose close surroundings also served the inhabitants as a public space. The available preserved map from the beginning of the nineteenth century (**Figure 1**) also shows typical front gardens in front of residential buildings, which create an extension of public spaces and separate public and private space. The map of the stable cadastre from this period also shows a very low representation of public green areas and the complete absence of common municipal pastures or permanent grasslands and orchards.

Since that time, the public spaces in the village have not undergone any significant development and their state is essentially unchanged. In some cases, they were reduced due to expanding development. In most cases, however, they have been preserved, although their purpose has largely changed. Similar to most municipalities of this type, public and semi-public green areas have undergone a significant change. The public areas were partially reduced, in the village virtually absent significant areas of greenery. The semi-public greenery in the form of front gardens near houses was often rebuilt or completely abolished. Areas often no longer fulfill their function and are used as parking spaces. If the area of greenery was preserved, there were often changes in the composition of green areas to a more modern form. In the case of other areas, development is due to changes in the needs

**133**

**Figure 2.**

*Restored public space with the statue of St. John of Nepomuk.*

*The Role of Public Spaces in Small Municipality DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89881*

Nepomuk has also been restored (**Figure 2**).

of Schwarzenberg (**Figure 3**).

exposed area (**Figure 4**).

ity manages for residents.

of the population and to general technical developments. Public areas in the village were supplemented with facilities for public transport as well as collection points for waste sorting. In recent years, a historical monument with a statue of John of

The municipality continues to develop its public spaces in the area beyond the former village borders. There are sports facilities and a cemetery. However, there is

A not very typical representative of this category of municipalities, as already indicated, is the settlement Dobrá. This village was founded very late in the first quarter of the nineteenth century as a timber settlement in the estate of the princes

From the beginning, the village was situated around a local road without significant common areas. The village itself had no common land, and all surrounding areas were owned by the owner of the estate. Individual houses stand in isolation surrounded by small gardens with private greenery of individual dwellings. The village virtually from the beginning had no public space or equipment, and there was no church building. After 1945, the village was partially displaced and some houses were destroyed. There were virtually no changes in terms of public spaces. The village has kept its terraced development without any common areas, despite the fact that there are pensions in the village and it is a touristly

The reason for the absence of public spaces and insufficient maintenance of greenery around the settlement is probably the absence of a larger number of land owned by the municipality. A large part of the land in the vicinity of the development is nowadays administered by the National Park Šumava, which has no reason to create common areas. The same applies to the land of private owners. Places for the collection of sorted waste are virtually the only public areas that the municipal-

no greater background for the children's population of the village.

**Figure 1.** *Historical and contemporary map of the village Loděnice (district Brno—Venkov).*

#### *The Role of Public Spaces in Small Municipality DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89881*

*Sustainability in Urban Planning and Design*

of terraced houses.

reduced from the beginning only to the edges of roads and municipalities usually have no other common areas. In history, so much typical areas for common grazing were, if possible, delimited in the space behind the barns. Extensive public space in these villages, at least in visual form, was made possible by frequent front gardens

The example of the municipality Loděnice (district Brno—Venkov) was chosen as an example of this way of organization of the municipality. To compare a similar type of municipality within the South Bohemian Region, it is possible to use the

Village Loděnice comes from the pre-colonization period from the end of the twelfth century. Over time, the village has developed into its present form, when most houses were built as a row brick gutter development. The common public areas of the municipality were, like other road municipalities, reduced to empty areas of roads and part of the undeveloped space between two rows of houses. There is also an early Gothic church of St. Margaret, whose close surroundings also served the inhabitants as a public space. The available preserved map from the beginning of the nineteenth century (**Figure 1**) also shows typical front gardens in front of residential buildings, which create an extension of public spaces and separate public and private space. The map of the stable cadastre from this period also shows a very low representation of public green areas and the complete absence

example of the municipality of Dobrá (Prachatice district).

of common municipal pastures or permanent grasslands and orchards.

*Historical and contemporary map of the village Loděnice (district Brno—Venkov).*

Since that time, the public spaces in the village have not undergone any significant development and their state is essentially unchanged. In some cases, they were reduced due to expanding development. In most cases, however, they have been preserved, although their purpose has largely changed. Similar to most municipalities of this type, public and semi-public green areas have undergone a significant change. The public areas were partially reduced, in the village virtually absent significant areas of greenery. The semi-public greenery in the form of front gardens near houses was often rebuilt or completely abolished. Areas often no longer fulfill their function and are used as parking spaces. If the area of greenery was preserved, there were often changes in the composition of green areas to a more modern form. In the case of other areas, development is due to changes in the needs

**132**

**Figure 1.**

of the population and to general technical developments. Public areas in the village were supplemented with facilities for public transport as well as collection points for waste sorting. In recent years, a historical monument with a statue of John of Nepomuk has also been restored (**Figure 2**).

The municipality continues to develop its public spaces in the area beyond the former village borders. There are sports facilities and a cemetery. However, there is no greater background for the children's population of the village.

A not very typical representative of this category of municipalities, as already indicated, is the settlement Dobrá. This village was founded very late in the first quarter of the nineteenth century as a timber settlement in the estate of the princes of Schwarzenberg (**Figure 3**).

From the beginning, the village was situated around a local road without significant common areas. The village itself had no common land, and all surrounding areas were owned by the owner of the estate. Individual houses stand in isolation surrounded by small gardens with private greenery of individual dwellings. The village virtually from the beginning had no public space or equipment, and there was no church building. After 1945, the village was partially displaced and some houses were destroyed. There were virtually no changes in terms of public spaces. The village has kept its terraced development without any common areas, despite the fact that there are pensions in the village and it is a touristly exposed area (**Figure 4**).

The reason for the absence of public spaces and insufficient maintenance of greenery around the settlement is probably the absence of a larger number of land owned by the municipality. A large part of the land in the vicinity of the development is nowadays administered by the National Park Šumava, which has no reason to create common areas. The same applies to the land of private owners. Places for the collection of sorted waste are virtually the only public areas that the municipality manages for residents.

**Figure 2.** *Restored public space with the statue of St. John of Nepomuk.*

**Figure 3.** *Historical and contemporary map of the village Dobrá (Prachatice district).*

**Figure 4.** *Comparison of the area of the village Dobrá at the beginning of the twentieth century and today.*
