Page:The Preservation of Places of Interest or Beauty, 1907.djvu/28

 But the more peculiarly German mode of protecting interesting places is by municipal regulation. As my hearers no doubt know, there is great freedom in Germany in municipal administration, even the relief of the poor being conducted on different principles in different towns. In many States express power is conferred upon towns to make bye-laws for the promotion of the amenities of the place. In Bavaria, in particular, towns are enjoined by the State Government to preserve their ancient city walls and similar landmarks, and to prescribe the style of building to be followed in places contiguous to the more ancient quarters of the town; even in the case of new streets and houses æsthetic considerations are to be regarded. Conceive this in an official document of an English Town Council—"When new lines of houses are in contemplation, care should be taken to safeguard the picturesque views of streets and open spaces, and the tyranny of the engineer’s rule and level must naturally be restricted."

Under such guidance the old and picturesque towns of Bavaria have framed bye-laws which go far to preserve their mediæval appearance. Amongst such towns are Augsburg, Würzburg, Nürnberg, Rothenburg, Amberg, Lindau. And other German towns have followed suit, for instance, Frankfurt-am-Main and Hildesheim.

These bye-laws often go into considerable detail; but the general principle is well illustrated by the opening clause of the Frankfurt bye-laws made in 1900:—

"For the preservation of the artistic and antique character of the following historically interesting streets and public places (here follows a list), all buildings which are to be erected thereon, in so far as they are visible from the street, must be so treated externally that the existing aspect of the streets is not disfigured or essentially altered."