Changes in the topography of Krakow city centre, Poland, during the last millennium

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to reconstruct differences between the paleotopography and contemporary topography of the historic centre of Krakow city, Poland, during the last millennium. The paleotopography was reconstructed using published contour-line maps based on archaeological and geoengineering investigations and showing the roof of in situ fossil soil. The preliminary contour-line map represented a digital elevation model (DEM) base map. A DEM from aerial laser scanning (ALS DEM) shows the contemporary topography of Krakow city centre. The application of selected morphometric indices makes it possible to quantitatively describe changes in the spatial dimension with regard to altitude, relative heights, slope, and aspect classes. The analysis of the changes in the values of the elements of topography studied shows that, at the scale of the whole study area, a trend to flattening occurs, however this trend is locally balanced or overridden by an increase of surface unevenness.

Quantitative Assessment of Changes in Topography of Town Caused by Human Impact, Krakow City Centre, Southern Poland

“…The Authors assumed such an approach to be innovative, which enabled them to look at other aspects of topography changes which have not been included in the hitherto papers concerning towns. The results of the research explain more precisely the issues of topography changes of the historic centre of Krakow than those shown in few papers written since the end of the 19th century [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

“…On the basis of these maps, mathematical calculations related to the aim of this paper were carried out. The methodology of calculations of topographic parameters used in the study is partly based on the publications of the authors [12,24]. [12,24].…”

“…In this case, human impact leads to the increase in local differences in some parts of towns, which is the result of: (c) mining which generates development of most differentiated relief in the areas where flat bottoms of excavations are adjacent to waste-tips and working escarpments-rocky walls represent a specific example. Such landforms are visible at present in town centres [11,13]; (d) river regulation (channel deepening, levees, river embankments) [23,24]; (e) development of other convex landforms (bridge frontons located high by the river, railway embankments, road embankments, overlook hillocks) [24]. As a result of human impact, areas of flat surface in towns are located higher or lower in relation to the initial surface.…”

“…The above mentioned topographic situations in towns are indicated in the cited papers, however, they do not consider more detailed range of topographic parameters which would make it possible to carry out a more detailed quantitative assessment of topography changes caused by human impact. The attempt to apply topographic parameters (altitude, local height differences, mean slope, limit of areas without aspect and with different aspects) in quantitative evaluation of town topography changes between the historical and contemporary situations was taken up by Łajczak et al [24] concerning the historic centre of Krakow, southern Poland (study area 9.29 km 2 ). In the work cited above, the topographic parameters concerning both time variants were calculated in a square grid with a side of 150 m.…”

“…The aim of this work is to carry out the quantitative assessment of topography changes of the historic centre of Krakow between the situation from about a millennium ago and the contemporary one with the application of a different methodical approach than it was shown in the paper [24]. Only these topographic parameters were taken into account which make it possible to determine changes in land surface undulation (local height differences, mean slope, limit of areas without aspect and with different aspects).…”