Heraldry in the City

Still today, coats of arms adorn city walls and shape the appearance of towns in Italy, where the Medieval and Renaissance monumental heritage often remains strikingly intact. Yet this phenomenon of urban heraldry is far from unique to the Italian peninsula; it constitutes a shared feature of cities across Europe. Recent research has revitalized the study of this symbolic marking of urban space, contributing new insights and methodologies. Still, many questions remain regarding the chronology of this process, the actors involved, its spatial dynamics, and its broader cultural and political stakes. This volume brings together analytical contributions and focused case studies to explore these dimensions, offering a contemporary perspective on urban heraldry and engaging with renewed approaches in the history of visual culture.