O oznaczaniu i naznaczaniu przestrzeni miasta

Signs and symbols of the city are the subject of research. City space is analysed according to the “human factor” of Florian Znaniecki. This article also discusses names in the city, their history and function. It also describes the conflict between information and symbolic functions. The research presented in the text addresses past and present fate and problems of street names in France, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Poland. The Polish public opinion on changes in the names of streets after 1989 is also described in the article.. To summarise, city names are treated by the author as a “barometer” of political changes, a “tool” for creating social identity, and the subject of disputes.