Abandoned cities have been a noticeable phenomenon in all historical epochs and in many regions of the world. For 5,000 years, they have been the paradoxical flipside of urban history and ever-advancing urbanization. This volume brings together essays on urban ruins, from antiquity to contemporary history. The contributions illustrate how abandoned cities are perceived, laden with content, and charged both ideologically and symbolically.

Martin Zimmermann, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany.