Forms and Functions of Market Squares in Small Towns of Lower Silesia

In the paper market squares in small towns of Lower Silesia region are presented, their area does not exceed 1 ha. For the present work 15 localities were selected: 10 towns and 5 villages which formerly had civic rights. The variety of shapes of market squares mainly resulted from the fact that the towns were founded in a different way. Most of them were formed as completely new settlements, the so-called settlements "on a rough root", the other ones developed from boroughs or commercial villages. It should be pointed out that the function of a market square is its crucial feature. In the course of time the market square in many towns underwent transformations of its function along with the loss of importance as the central place of a town. Today market places for wholesale as well as for retail trade are designed at other points of a town. An old market square remains till now as an imposing place, although it may also be used as a car park. Concluding, it may be established that market squares played in the past and still play an important role in a town.