Schițele hotarnice și începutul schimbării percepției asupra spațiului urban în Moldova (sfârșitul secolului al XVIII-lea – începutul secolului al XIX-lea)

Our focus is on urban areas as we explore the study of boundary sketches that represent plots or pieces of land. The practice of creating these sketches appears to have started after the 18th century reforms initiated by the Greek princes of Moldavia and Wallachia, particularly by Constantine Mavrocordatos. His measures had both social and economic impacts, leading to an increased interest in property ownership in the countryside and urban areas. Townspeople historically enjoyed the right to full ownership of the land and houses in their settlements. Against this backdrop of accumulating property, individuals needed clearer documentation of their land boundaries. This is evidenced by the growing number of boundary surveys (hotărnicii) and accompanying sketches. Significant changes in the perception of space occurred in towns after the Treaty of Kuciuk Kainardji in 1774, which challenged the exclusive Ottoman control of the principalities amidst Russia's expansion in Europe. Following property disputes, officials, along with neighbourhood witnesses, began to make sketches and survey the boundaries of plots. Consequently, by the second half of the 18th century, authorities increasingly recognized the need for local plans to understand the property situation better. For the first time, maps provided both authorities and townspeople with new perspectives on space, extending beyond just private properties to encompass the entire urban environment, as neighbours, streets, or significant landmarks bordered each property. These early local plans were therefore sketches, mostly in pencil and with no technical data other than the palm that served as a measuring gauge. The authors use conventional signs (single, double, broken lines) for property boundaries, roads, rivers, and bridges, often illustrating buildings (houses, churches, mills, wells) with representative figures. There are cases where the actual situation is well depicted (such as the churches of Baia in a plan from 1784). A few plans have also survived as more artistic sketches, the result of the work of local people with a talent for drawing, but new methods of making maps and plans, for which foreign engineers were accountable, began to penetrate the Principality after 1800. A similar situation is to be found in eastern Russia, where officials sent to check the boundaries of various estates or regions drew up plans using the same more or less rudimentary technique. It was not until Peter the Great's reforms that the view of space changed, with the introduction of modern cadastral methods borrowed from central and western Europe. Iași, the capital of Moldavia, received most plans of this kind. For other towns, plans have survived covering mainly the town's estate (moșia) or larger areas that were in the midst of property disputes. The sketches provide insight into the social and economic landscape of Moldavian towns at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, during a time of significant change, which marked the transition from the late medieval world to the structures and rules of the modern era. The towns became dynamic, featuring a mix of people from various walks of life and interests. Alongside the influential boyars lived ordinary townsfolk and even gypsy serfs. Close to monasteries and Christian churches, one could find Jews engaged in various crafts, alongside palaces and impoverished houses – all within a rapidly changing environment. New institutions were beginning to take shape, with late medieval officials (vornicii de poartă) gradually being replaced by engineers who perceived the streets and land of the towns with a modern perspective. Neighbourhood sketches were set aside in favour of cadastral plans, reflecting a shift in the perception of urban space. As part of this research, I have also discussed maps or sketches of the estates on which other Moldavian towns were located (for Vaslui, Huși, Baia, Botoșani, Bârlad, Târgu Frumos, Focșani, Chișinău), with details useful for understanding the topography and hydrography of the respective areas.