Cities and broadly understood urbanized areas unchangingly make a subject of par-   ticular scientific interest due to the dynamics of their development and functioning.   Among multifarious aspects of their cognitive and functional analyses in this volume   there are presented culture-based, economic and legal conditions influencing the   spatial system of cities and their socioeconomic development. Attention is also paid   to consequences of implemented developmental projects that are felt by residents of   cities and other stakeholders.   The contributed scientific articles deal with a variety of issues. There is the question   of otherness (exceptionality) of cities discussed as it can make a cause of their destruc-   tion. Another research motif that is dealt with by two studies concerns revitalization   of cities. In this respect, the authors consider the problem of environmental dimension   of revitalizing and relocation of inhabitants as a result of revitalizing. Both questions   are scientifically verified in the case study of the City of Łódź and its specific situation.   Another important subject which is dealt with in the next article is autonomous urban   transport analyzed with reference to a sustainable city. The last of the contributions   concerns a less popular and relatively rarely discussed research theme, that is oeno-   tourism. The article presents the theoretical and real significance of vineyards in the   development of selected cities.   The issues which make topics of successive articles in the present volume are ap-   proached from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. Old development-related   paradigms are juxtaposed against new conceptions and directions in the development   of cities. Model frameworks and detailed solutions to individual urban questions are   linked to results of research and factographic data.   Acknowledging that the presented publications deal with increasingly significant   themes and present interesting results of analyses as well as new cognitive and meth-   odological experience, I hope that they will offer true inspiration to further deepen   studies dedicated to urban issues and strengthen the will to publish obtained results in   successive volumes of Studia Miejskie.  

Edyta Szafranek-Stefaniuk