Cities-spaces-places Quote by Michal Ajvaz
““There is an endless chain of cities, a circle without beginning or end, over which there breaks unrelentingly a shifting wave of laws. There is the city-jungle and the city where people live in the pillars of tall viaducts that crisscross each other in countless overpasses and underpasses, the city of sounds and nothing else, the city in the swamp, the city of smooth white balls rolling on concrete, the city comprising apartments spread across several continents, the city where sculptures fall endlessly from dark clouds and smash on the paving stones, the city where the moon’s path passes through the insides of apartments. All cities are mutually the center and periphery, beginning and end, capital and colony of each other.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers, 2004
The quote depicts an infinite, self‑referential network of cities where each is simultaneously center and periphery, reflecting endless cycles of law, structure, and experience.
In simple terms: Cities are endless loops, each both a center and edge.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how systems can be both origin and destination.
Themes
infinity
urbanism
interconnectedness
law
perception
Mood
reflective
intrigued
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- legal frameworks
- architectural design
- social networks
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
philosophy
systems theory
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How does viewing a city as a loop change your perception of its governance?
- What implications arise when every place is both center and margin?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑abstract complex urban realities, limiting practical insight.
