Reseña de libros
Book Review
Camillo Sitte (1843–1903) is one of those authors who is constantly cited and
invoked in so many contexts, yet is rarely read. He is even better known for
the frequent reproduction of his illustrations, particularly the long series of
urban plans we are all familiar with, which have even served as the basis for
some popular posters. Specifically, this title we are reviewing now—his mag-
num opus—has not been available to Spanish-speaking readers since that
canonical edition published by Canosa in the 1920s, save for a facsimile ap-
pendix included by Gustavo Gili when he published the well-known essay by
the Collins brothers more than four decades ago.
For all these reasons, this new edition is excellent news, not only for
urban planners, but also for historians, theorists, and scholars, as well as for
discerning readers and travelers, who will find here the keys to the beauty they
have admired in many Central European urban structures (specifically, 132 cities
are cited, mostly from Germany, Austria, and Italy). Indeed, Sitte is perhaps
the last theorist on what makes our cities beautiful and humane—values far
superior to a functionalism that, unfortunately, has been almost the sole ob-
jective of all modern developments. It is no coincidence that the modernist
movement expressly fought against the tenets of this Viennese architect, and
a good example of this can be found in the pages of AC magazine, where the
illustrations from Sitte’s books appeared crossed out.
Its current relevance is, however, highlighted by a leading expert on the
work and influence of the author in question, the distinguished Professor Víctor
Pérez Escolano; indeed, his foreword leaves no doubt as to the importance of
this work, its enormous influence across a wide range of fields, and, even more
so, its continued relevance today, at a time when urban planning has lost so
much of its symbolic power.
This edition of Germinarq revives Canosa’s translation, whose effective
updating makes it a very enjoyable read; it also presents the 99 plans from the
original edition printed to the same scale, allowing for the comparative analysis
alongside the text that was one of Sitte’s own educational intentions. The vol-
ume is rounded out with the essential indexes of cities and illustrations. In short,
this is a most welcome title that will be a significant addition to any library.
Germinarq
Madrid, 2024
ISBN: 978-84-12-71352-7
231 | Constelaciones nº 14, 2026. ISSN: 2340-177X