Town as an object of area studies
Social and cultural research plays a crucial role in the contemporary area studies. Of particular relevance is systematization of the elements that form the socio-cultural sphere. One of the key elements is the town / the urban environment, which is a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The present paper considers the formation of the urban environment and ways of its transformation, with a narrower focus on the existence, preservation and reconstruction of historical monuments. The paper analyzes the current trends in the development of the urban environment.