The medieval city and its parts

The medieval cities saw its rebirth when the old urban centers abandoned after the barbarian invasions were progressively recovering their inhabitants thanks to the agricultural development started in the eleventh century that generated economic well-being and in turn this favored exchanges commercial. Next in this lesson from a TEACHER we will briefly and summarily study the medieval city and its parts so that you know how these social centers were built during the Middle Ages.

The vast majority of medieval cities were located near a road important, sea or river and that was what attracted a large number of merchants at the time, becoming great economic centers.

Like merchants, the peasants who fleeing the feudal lords were attracted by the influential commercial and artisan activity. The peasants became artisans, on the one hand they produced to satisfy the needs of a population and on the other hand they produced goods to be marketed to other cities.

Merchants and artisans created a new social group, the bourgeoisie

Hence, the inhabitants of these cities were called bourgeois. In turn, the bourgeoisie was made up of the upper bourgeoisie; great merchants and bankers and the medium and small bourgeoisie that were artisans and small merchants.

Within what was the cottage industry guilds were created, that is, groups of artisans dedicated to the same trade (carpenters, blacksmiths, bakers ...). Each union established the procedures that they had to follow for their production, labor standards, wages as well as hours of work, so that in this way the products were similar in terms of price and quality and thus avoid a competence.

The internal organization of these guilds was formed by the teacher who was the owner of the workshop as well as the tools and materials; the officers who work for the teacher in exchange for a salary; and the apprentices who learned the trade did not charge but in exchange the teacher fed him and gave him shelter in his house.

Next we go on to see which were the most common parts of medieval cities, because although they were very different Among them, as well as those of now, there were elements that help us to categorize them as a medieval city, and they are the following:

Wall in medieval town

All medieval cities were surrounded by a wall, these used to be high for their protection and stones, in turn had several access doors, in each and every one of them taxes were collected (duty) for those goods entering the city. At night they were closed for greater security.

Houses of medieval cities

Which were within the walled enclosure, were characterized by being tall houses generally of three floors, the first of stone where the workshop or store is located, while the second and third were intended for housing and were made of wood, this material caused entire cities to be destroyed on many occasions as fires were very frequent in they.

City center

The city center was dominated by the most important large urban buildings, the church (as a religious headquarters), and the communal palace (as an administrative headquarters), which is what we know today as City Hall. Also in the center of the city was the marketplace, In these urban markets it was where the weights and measures used in the products were controlled and then exported, prices, hours and days of sale were set….

In the squares it was also the place where the fairs were held, which depending on the city could be weekly, monthly or yearly. In the case of large cities in the city center there were also cathedrals and the episcopal palace (residence of the bishop) as well as some urban palaces where the great merchants.

Outside the walls

Outside the walls were the suburbs, that is to say, neighborhoods outside the walls that with the massive arrival of inhabitants could not cover more within the wall. With the passage of time the cities grew and the suburbs became part of the city, for this the canvases of the walls were expanded.

Schools and hospitals

In the subject of education and culture until now it had been limited mainly to monasteries, however it was in the Full Middle Ages when the first secular schools were founded so that intellectual activity ceased to be part of the clergy.

The first Universities were also founded here, introducing new subjects to study such as medicine. It also gave rise to the appearance of hospitals, which not all cities had one but the most important ones, these were located outside the walls.