Transformation of urban environment. The case of Linz

The book tries to combine two areas of historical research urban history and environmental history. It deals with long-term changes of the urban environment during the 18th and 19th centuries, and this is done by using the example of Linz (Upper Austria). As Linz had ca. 12,000 inhabitants around 1700 and ca. 50,000 inhabitants around 1900, it can be counted as a medium-sized city, which also allows the inclusion of sources that so far have been rarely used. Little is known about the long-term changes of the urban environment before the 20th century most historical studies have focused on specific environmental issues (e.g. water supply and wastewater disposal, environmental pollution and hygiene), and they mostly focused on big cities and on the second half of the 19th century, when urbanization and industrialization in Central and Western Europe took off. The book takes a broad and systematic perspective and is divided into three main parts: 1) the city`s metabolism (metabolism) in the fields of water, energy and material, 2) urban and suburban nature such as the Danube and green spaces, and 3) the impact of natural crises (epidemics, famines and natural hazards) on everyday urban life. A strong focus is put upon actors and their logics. Despite fundamental changes, the results of the study indicate substantial continuities in numerous areas of the urban environment. Many environmental decisions remained economically shaped, and many measures such as epidemics and natural hazards were still reactive in the late 19th century. However, the actors have changed significantly: In the course of the 19th century, the city administration became increasingly active in transforming the citys nature, as it had greater financial means.