River-and-city studies: clean water, portal and plans
Keeping a city's canal water pure, with a crowned portal and building plans
A block of mirror-script at the top sets out a scheme for keeping a city's water clean: the current should run through canals rather than the town's moats, so that a turbid river does not silt them; the moats are filled through sluice-gates and their water changed monthly with clear river water to keep the air pure, while the moving water drives the mills and flushes away mud and filth. Below are architectural drawings, including a crowned portal, building elevations, ground plans and an octagonal radial figure, described in the notes as a figure of river and city. Labels within one plan mark the quarters of the merchants (a) and the shops (b).
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Keep the city's canal water clear
The long note argues that the current should not pass through the town's inner moats, so a turbid river will not deposit silt in them; instead the moats are filled by sluice-gates and their water changed monthly with clear river water, keeping the air pure while the flow drives the mills and washes away mud and other filth.
Quarters of merchants and shops (a, b)
Letters set into one ground plan mark the districts of the city: a for the merchants and b for the shops (botteghe), with a further point c only partly legible. The labels key the plan to the city's commercial quarters.
Crowned portal elevation
In the upper-central sheet Leonardo drew the elevation of a monumental doorway crowned by a decorated pediment. It is a finished architectural motif among the plans.
Figure of river and city
A marginal note names one drawing as a figure of river and city, tying the ground plans and elevations to a riverside urban scheme. It frames the whole leaf as a study for a planned town.