ABSTRACT
Oral traditions specified ways of life, including religious rituals, and the auspicious layout of buildings and settlements to ensure good lives. The similarity of many prescriptions suggests that certain patterns hold archetypical meanings buried in the unconscious mind of everybody. Some patterns, squares, and circles, in particular, appear repeatedly in the art, myths, and religions of members of widely dispersed cultures. Several architects’ practices in the early twenty-first century are based on religious canons or cosmologies. The most important function of urban designs that follow religious canons is that they give their inhabitants a sense of security by supporting their belief that the layout ensures their good health and success in life. The religious basis for the design gave way to pragmatic property development requirements. Christian religious texts provide no specific design rules.
