![]() In addition to Western Europe, dispersed patterns of settlements are found in many other world regions, including North America. Typically, in stark contrast to a nucleated settlement, dispersed settlements range from a scattered to an isolated pattern ( Figure 12.6). License | CC BY SA 3.0 12.2.2 Dispersed Rural Settlements Dispersed Rural SettlementsĪ dispersed settlement is one of the main types of settlement patterns used to classify rural settlements. Due to its uniqueness, the beautiful village plan from the baroque era has been preserved as a historical monument ( Figure 12.5).įigure 12.4 | Kraal – A circular village in Africa ![]() In the middle of the village is a covered well surrounded by a perfect circle of mulberry trees behind which are houses with stables, barns, and their gardens in the external ring. ![]() The village was established around 1770 by Swabians who came to the region as part of the second wave of German colonization. ![]() Located southwestern Romania, Charlottenburg is the only round village in the country. Also, in the medieval times, villages in the Languedoc, France, were often situated on hilltops and built in a circular fashion for defensive purpose ( Figures 12.3 and 12.4).Īlthough far from the German territory, Romania has a unique, circular German village. The current leading theory is that Rundlinge were developed at more or less the same time in the 12th century, to a model developed by the Germanic nobility as suitable for small groups of mainly Slavic farm-settlers. There are no contemporary historical records of the founding of these circular villages, but a consensus has arisen in recent decades. Such settlements are variously referred to as a Rundling, Runddorf, Rundlingsdorf, Rundplatzdorf or Platzdorf (Germany), Circulades and Bastides (France), or Kraal (Africa). This form consists of a central open space surrounded by structures. License | CC BY SA 2.0 Circular Rural Settlements In this way, a new linear settlement can emerge along each road, parallel to the original riverfront settlement ( Figure 12.2). Roads were constructed in parallel to the river for access to inland farms. The river can supply the people with a water source and the availability to travel and communicate. Excluding the mountainous zones, the agricultural land is extended behind the buildings. The linear form is comprised of buildings along a road, river, dike, or seacoast. License | CC BY SA 2.0 Linear Rural Settlements In some cases, the compact villages are designed to conserve land for farming, standing in sharp contrast to the often isolated farms of the American Great Plains or Australia ( Figure 12.1). The compact villages are located either in the plain areas with important water resources or in some hilly and mountainous depressions. Small garden plots are located in the first ring surrounding the houses, continued with large cultivated land areas, pastures, and woodlands in successive rings. This center is surrounded by houses and farmland. This model has a center where several public buildings are located such as the community hall, bank, commercial complex, school, and church. The rural settlement patterns range from compact to linear, to circular, and grid. The layout of this type of village reflects historical circumstances, the nature of the land, economic conditions, and local cultural characteristics. 12.2.1 Clustered Rural SettlementsĪ clustered rural settlement is a rural settlement where a number of families live in close proximity to each other, with fields surrounding the collection of houses and farm buildings. Using as classification criteria the shape, internal structure, and streets texture, settlements can be classified into two broad categories: clustered and dispersed. There are many types of rural settlements.
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