The problem of increasing the architectural and artistic level of urban planning solutions is of paramount importance in the conditions of intensive urbanisation and chaotic growth of cities, leading to the violation of the uniqueness of the image of the urban environment, deepening the crisis of understanding the spirit of place. Symbolism, as the transmission of inner content through non-textual information, has been relevant in creating a context of unqualified value for objects of fine art, architecture and urban planning since the ethnic origins of culture to this day. This study considers the urban environment as a complex multi-layered system that gradually integrates and hierarchises the city's planning form at four constituent levels. Each of these levels forms its own symbolic architectural and artistic image, but together they are linked by a single philosophical-aesthetic and architectural and urban planning concept and content. The gradual unfolding of all components of this concept and meanings creates favourable conditions for obtaining intellectual and philosophical justification and artistic and aesthetic symbol-image of the urban environment.