The thrilling finale of the bold and fantastical Chelsea Trilogy finds Sophie Swankowski in an ancient castle in Poland--and at the center of an ages-old battle. Even with her magic powers, can one 13-year-old from Massachusetts really save the world?

This volume is based on possibly the biggest single Europe-wide project in urban history. In 1955 the International Commission for the History of Towns established the European historic towns atlas project in accordance with a common scheme in order to encourage comparative urban studies. Although advances in urban archaeology since the 1960s have highlighted the problematic relationship between the oldest extant town plan and the actual origins of a town, the large-scale cadastral maps as they have been made available by the European historic towns atlas project are still necessary if we want to understand the evolution of the physical form of our towns. By 2014 the project consisted of over 500 individual publications from over 18 different countries across Europe. Each atlas comprises at least a core-map at the scale of 1:2500, analytical maps and an explanatory text. The time has come to use this enormous database that has been compiled over the last 40 years. This volume, itself based on a conference related to this topic that was held in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin in 2006, takes up this challenge. The focus of the volume is on the question of how seigneurial power influenced the creation of towns in medieval Europe and of how this process in turn influenced urban form. Part I of the volume addresses two major issues: the history of the use of town plans in urban research and the methodological challenges of comparative urban history. Parts II and III constitute the core of the book focusing on the dynamic relationship between lordship and town planning in the core area of medieval Europe and on the periphery. In Part IV the symbolic meaning of town plans for medieval people is discussed. Part V consists of critical contributions by an archaeologist, an art historian and an historical geographer. By presenting case studies by leading researchers from different European countries, this volume combines findings that were hitherto not available in English. A comparison of the English and German bibliographies, attached to this volume, reveals some interesting insights as to how the focus of research shifted over time. The book also shows how work on urban topography integrates the approaches of the historian, archaeologist and historical geographer. The narrative of medieval urbanization becomes enriched and the volume is a genuine contribution to European studies.

Everyone in the broken-down town of Chelsea, Massachussetts, has a story too worn to repeat—from the girls who play the pass-out game just to feel like they're somewhere else, to the packs of aimless teenage boys, to the old women from far away who left everything behind. But there’s one story they all still tell: the oldest and saddest but most hopeful story, the one about the girl who will be able to take their twisted world and straighten it out. The girl who will bring the magic. Could Sophie Swankowski be that girl? With her tangled hair and grubby clothes, her weird habits and her visions of a filthy, swearing mermaid who comes to her when she’s unconscious, Sophie could be the one to uncover the power flowing beneath Chelsea’s potholed streets and sludge-filled rivers, and the one to fight the evil that flows there, too. Sophie might discover her destiny, and maybe even in time to save them all.

The History of Castles is the ultimate guide to the world's most fascinating castles and strongholds. Chapters include information on castles from France, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. An ideal book for history enthusiasts, people planning to take a vacation near one of these castles, and for anyone who is enamored of these breathtaking buildings.

Throughout their stormy history the Teutonic Knights of Germany have always been the most controversial brotherhood ever to call themselves 'Knights of Christ'.They were the most warlike of the religious orders, and this is reflected in the architecture they left behind. In contrast to the Templars who are remembered for their churches, the Teutonic memorials are the magnificent brick-built castles they built as a result of their conquest of Prussia between 1230 and 1380. Many of these dramatic fortresses still exist today in what is now Poland and provide a unique example of an architectural style that closely reflects the nature of the Order.

This comprehensive and up-to-date reference work and resource book covers state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice for bridge engineering worldwide. Countries covered include Canada and the United States in North America; Argentina and Brazil in South America; Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine in the European continent; China, Indonesia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand in Asia; and Egypt, Iran, and Turkey in the Middle East. The book examines the use of different materials for each region, including stone, timber, concrete, steel, and composite. It examines various bridge types, including slab, girder, segmental, truss, arch, suspension, and cable-stayed. A color insert illustrates select landmark bridges. It also presents ten benchmark comparisons for highway composite girder design from different countries; the highest bridges; the top 100 longest bridges, and the top 20 longest bridge spans for various bridge types including suspension, cable-stayed, extradosed, arch, girder, movable bridges (vertical lift, swing, and bascule), floating, stress ribbon, and timber; and bridge construction methods.