Abstract: In reviewing studies of the visual image of the city following the example of Pirogov identified four research paradigms: naturalist, structuralist, constructivist and phenomenological. In this study, the most interesting structuralist paradigm, rather semiotic structuralism, as the city is featured as text readable residents and visitors. In connection with the appeal to visual signs of city system within semiotics approach, sees important to consider concept of a visual image of the city. The subject of the research is the concepts, approaches, models of research of a visual image of the city. Modern social and the humanities saved up the sufficient experience connected with methodology and a technique of research of a visual image of the city. Synthesis of this experience, allocation of key problems, the critical analysis will allow to find effective methodology for the analysis of visual images of the concrete Russian and world cities. The main method of research - the historiographic description, the critical analysis of domestic and foreign research literature. The method of allocation of key concepts, estimated judgments connected with researches of the modern cities is applied. By consideration of researches of a visual image of the city by Pirogov's example four paradigms of researches were allocated: naturalistic, structuralist, constructivist and phenomenological. Within this research the structuralist paradigm, to be exact semiotics structuralism as the city appears as the text which is read out by inhabitants and guests here is most interesting.

Abstract: The subject of this study includes conceptual and methodological approaches to the visual perception of the image of the city. This problem has become relevant in modern urban planning, and plenty of curious methods for studying the visual image of the city emerged over the past 10-15 years. The critical analysis of this method and the rationalization of choosing the visual image of the city as the subject of study for further empirical research has defined the topic of study in this science article. Thus, the article represents a proposition for a study of the visual image of the city to be conducted in accordance with the rationalized choice of the methodological strategy. The main method is the critical analysis of existing concepts and methods, monitoring of cutting-edge urban studies in order to choose the most relevant and efficient method for further empirical studies. While studying the visual perception of the image of the city, the author uncovered that researchers in this field use both, general and special methods. The general methods for researching the visual image of the city include questionnaires, sociological surveys, interview and content-analysis. Special methods of researching the visual image of the city involve the analysis of mental mapping, architectural semantic differentials, video- and photo content analysis, go-along, auto ethnography and decoding.