City of Refuge: Separatists and Utopian Town Planning

The concept of 'sacred squareness' emerged as a defining feature of Protestant utopian town planning, tracing its roots from biblical references to influential designs like Albrecht Dürer's 1527 treatise on fortification. This study explores how this tradition shaped separatist communities in Europe and North America, notably through the Moravian Brethren's settlements, which became models for other groups like Johann Georg Rapp's Harmony Society and Robert Owen's New Harmony. The research employs a comparative approach, analyzing architectural plans, illustrations, and historical records to illustrate the evolution of utopian spatial ideals from the 16th to the 19th century. While the 'sacred squareness' concept may not be universally applicable, it offers a compelling lens for understanding Protestant separatist urbanism's distinct contributions to broader trends in European and colonial town planning.

Köstlbauer, J. (2019). City of Refuge: Separatists and Utopian Town Planning. Journal of Moravian History, 19(2), 217–219. https://doi.org/10.5325/jmorahist.19.2.0217