The Cyclical Nature of the Territorial Development of Large Cities: A Case Study of Wrocław (Poland)

Abstract

The primary aim of the study was to identify the process of territorial development of large cities in Central and Eastern Europe based on the example of Wrocław. The analysis of the administrative boundaries changes; population density and land development revealed specific features of the territorial growth of large cities, which due to their repeatability indicate the cyclical nature of the processes. The specific pattern of territorial development in large cities can be described as follows: each period of socioeconomic development of the city contributes to an increase in population density within urban boundaries, and then to the sprawl of the city into its nearest neighborhood. The suburban area is an extension of the city and over time is incorporated into administrative boundaries of the city. Extension of the city usually reduces the population density within its new boundaries. Each subsequent period of prosperity in the city initiates another cycle of spatial development.