TOWN PLANNING DURING

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

FAYEZ, FASIL, RAHUL, RAEESA, SACHNA, SHAHALA,

TOWN PLANNING GROUP II- SHANIL, SUMAYYA.
medieval towns- foundations

 The Medieval Age was the greatest town founding period in history. It began with
Charlemagne who laid foundations of many new towns (800-814 AD). It was also
a period in history when ordinary people began to take an acknowledged place in
society.
 This new attitude was reflected in the form that towns took. They evolved to
meet human needs and their pattern changed to match increased social
responsibility. Medieval cities become both protectors and symbols of civic
rights and liberties. This birth of the Commune as a legal entity has been called
by Prof. Paul Hofer ‘a thrilling process in legal history’.
 The process of medieval urbanization proceeded from West to East and from
South to North. The great urban colonization of much of Europe was
characterized by planned, geometric new towns. It was a period of great
colonization in which the urban ideal was firmly implanted on a largely rural
continent. Medieval colonization has been compared by some with that of
classical Greece.
 Not only new towns but existing villages and hamlets are extended,
spontaneously or by design, and cities grow and flourish widely.
medieval towns- timeline

9th & 10th Centuries i.e. up to 11th century

 accelerated urban growth begins and developments can be distinguished around
that time within the chaos of Dark Ages.
 coronation of Charles the Great in 800, who founded many towns.
 population growth accelerates and living standards rise, trade revives.
 Charlemagne introduced gold currency to replace silver as less volatile.
 adoption of advanced techniques of book keeping based on arabic numerals.
 Christianity virtues combine with ideals of chivalry and knighthood and convert
the last of the heathens of the European frontier.
 new and completely transformed towns and cities begin to emerge in Western
Europe. These grow out of a variety of urban nuclei, which over time, develop
into a new urban fabric : the medieval city .
 few settlements could be strictly called cities, at least in central Europe e.g. of the
140 towns in Germany few had more than 500 inhabitants.
medieval towns- timeline

12th century (i.e. from 1100) onwards

 cities grew more rapidly in size and numbers.
 the 11th and 12th centuries (1000 – 1200 AD.) saw the transition from an open
plan to a structurally definable and more closed and compact form.

13th century (i.e. 1200 – 1300)

 by the early 13th century, the number of German cities had risen to 2000.
 the century produced the most active colonization and town foundation.
 it was a veritable new town boom
medieval towns- a comparison

Why 12th century town foundations did better than 13th century ones?
12th century foundations, the first foundations in large numbers, were generally
more successful than their 13th century successors because in the12th century:
 Europe sparsely urbanized landscaped
 many advantageous locations with suitable hinterland

While in the 13th century, urban regions were more saturated with development
by the time. New foundations found strong competition from earlier ones.
This meant that 13th century towns needed a larger critical urban mass and more
effective privileges in order to succeed.
medieval towns- features

Size
 In terms of size, the medieval city was designed and organized for a limited
population and built on a pedestrian scale .
Shape
The shape or outline of town plans was delineated by the wall which would best
protect the city.
 A wall had to have the shortest circumference possible and take advantage of
topographical features. Obviously, this often limited the use of geometric
shapes; yet simple, geometric plans were adopted whenever possible, especially
in flat country.
 However, the layout of medieval cities was not based on any symbolic geometric
figure. The choice of form or outline of a town was left to the engineer
responsible for its fortifications (as in Classical Greece).
medieval towns- features

Orientation
Medieval Cities of Europe were orientated in relation to their topography.
 Intentional orientation is not noticeable; layouts of towns and cities do not
observe the four cardinal points as in Antiquity.
Types of Locations
Medieval cities did establish in many and varied locations:
 in plains, on hillsides, on hilltops, on island, in valleys, on river crossings.
Site selection would depend on a combination of traditional needs such as
protection, commercial advantage, suitable communications or fertile
hinterland. City layouts, therefore, follow different planning styles depending on
location and topography e.g. the hill towns of southern France, southern
Germany, and of central Italy.
medieval towns- classification

Medieval towns can be classified according to function as:

 Farm Towns- especially in Scandinavia and Britain
 Fortress Towns- Toledo, Edinburgh, Tours, Warwick
 Church Towns- York, Chartres
 Merchant Prince Towns- Florence, Siena
 Merchant Guild Towns- Hanseatic League towns
 medieval towns- classification
Medieval towns can be classified according to plan type as:
Spontaneous or Organic Towns
 These grew for the most part from the huddle of peasants in need of protection about a
nucleus such as the stronghold of a local wealthy leader or perhaps a monastery, which
might be equally fortified.
 The majority of towns of medieval origin in Western Europe fall into this group.
 The street pattern of the spontaneous town was not conditioned by traffic problems;
streets were narrow, winding and steep according to the physical demands of the site.
Planned or Geometric Towns
 Building of new towns to accommodate growing population numbers and economic
expansion became soon became a major task because of:
i) natural limitations of local food supply for older towns,
ii) the needs of a constant extension of conquered territory eastward across Europe.
 The chain of new cities which includes most of Europe’s Eastern capitals shows orderly,
grid-iron layouts such as Breslau, Vilna, Cracow.
medieval towns- spontaneous/organic

 i.Linear Plans  ii.Radial or Radio-Concentric Plans

medieval towns- spontaneous/organic

 iii.Network Plans  iv.Triangular Plans

 v.Combinations of 1,2 & 3  vi.Natural/Historic Plans

medieval towns- planned/geometric
1.Bastides
 ‘Bastide’ is a French term and means literally ‘small fortress’. Originally it referred to
the planned new towns which were built in southwest France during the early part of
the 13th century (50 of them by Edward I, prior to that by St. Louis, King of France.)
and now is accepted as the general term for all planned, colonial towns (new towns)
of the medieval period including French, English, Welsh and German examples.
Functions:
 to populate and open-up new frontiers
 to resettle population displaced by wars and to control conquered regions
 to control and weaken a nearby older town by diverting commerce from it to the new
Bastide (e.g. Carcasonne)
Planning Principles
 1. Bastides are new foundations and have pre-determined plan forms
 2. The Grid-iron system and rectilinear plot sub-division form the basis of their layout
 3. The main inducement to settle in Bastides provided by house plotand some farming
grants together with other economic privileges
medieval towns- planned/geometric
2. Extraordinary Plans – e.g., Residence cities such as Vienna New Town.
 These became popular during the height of the period when the largely increased
number of ordinary citizens and artisans had a say in civic affairs along side the
merchants and their powerful guilds.
 This kind of plan served the various needs of the time very well. It gave a planned
order but also allowed all sorts of variations. For instance, main and side streets could
be easily differentiated by giving them varying widths.
medieval towns- elements
1. Individual Houses
 houses often designed as fortresses and accommodate several generations of one
individual family (in Italy often have towers in association).
 in some towns, street blocks are organized in defensive units with individual walls and
defensive towers.
The most common house type was:
 predominantly one-family, several stories high; of human scale, arranged thus:
(i)ground floor - commerce, trade (ii)upper floors - family residence
(iii)under roof - servants
 small, occupying narrow frontages along narrow streets (to allow as many as possible
to be accessible from street, as craftsmen worked at home).
 extended long way back from street.
 usually built with a backyard/garden and had privacy.
 held to the three basic Gothic colours of red/yellow/blue .
 frequently built of timber but use of stone becomes widespread after tragic
experience of great fires in many cities.
medieval towns- elements
 Urban houses were derived from farm houses of the early medieval period.
 Traditionally, the (integral) relationship between work and residence leads to strong
population concentration and intensive land-use.
 The Late Medieval period sees an increased differentiation of dwelling houses as an
attempt to create more private and complex personal living space.
medieval towns- elements
2.The Market Place
 public, social life concentrated in city centres.
 represented political character of a city as well as citizens’ self-indentification.
 communal centers (i.e. belonging to community, expressive of it) emerge only during
high middle ages (10th , 11th , 12th centuries). In earlier times the fortress, abbey, or
Bishops’ seat took up central positions.
 cover substantial area(s) of urban land; occur in multiple form depending on nature
and magnitude of cities economy (wool, textile, pig, fish etc. markets).
(i)Street Markets
 earliest form and represent extension of the linear traffic artery on which many
medieval plan types are based.
(ii)Central Markets
 preferred shape was that of a regular rectangle, often also a simple square shape e.g.
market and commercial cities of central and eastern Europe in 13th and 14th
centuries. To maintain uninterrupted enclosing facades, streets do not enter space
axially but at corners only.
medieval towns- elements
3.Civic Buildings
 Express pride and wealth of a town’s inhabitants and are concentrated around and
near market place(s).
(i)Town Hall
 always reserved prime site on main market square where their scale and size provides
striking contrast to other buildings in the area.
 often positioned opposite town church (cathedral) or even secular ruler’s castle.
 symbol of autonomy, jurisdiction, wealth they range from proud and magnificent town
halls of Hanseatic Cities of northern Europe to small and poor town halls of Southern
Germany and Austria.
 seat of town councils i.e. local government. Councils had splendid seals: town
corporation could act in its own right and bind itself legally by letter and seal.
(ii)Guild Hall
 besides church, the most important representative of corporate life
medieval towns- elements
(iii)Hospital
 to care for old and poor
 set up by holy orders
(iv)Colleges
 first specialized elements of university life.
(v)Arsenals
(vi)Fountains
medieval towns- elements
4.City Walls, Gates, Towers
 determine outline and general appearance of medieval city.
 give medieval community its strongest characteristic of homogeneity.
 continue the tradition we saw in Antiquity of a clear contrast between urban and rural
(i)Walls
 defend city, people, animals and property
 symbolize to outside world a town’s strength & political independence note.
 large proportion of public funds devoted to construct, maintain and extend urban
fortifications
 ring of wall does, naturally, constrict inhabitant’s freedom of movement and available
urban space;
 construction derived from techniques of fortress architecture: shortest circumference
enclosing largest area i.e. circular and square fortifications preferred.
 smaller settlements cannot afford wall, therefore perimeter building ring doubles as
fortification.
medieval towns- elements
(ii)Gates
 represent link with the outside world
 major roads lead from gates to other towns etc.
 control and customs point for people and goods
 strategically represent weakness in defensive system, therefore often flanked by towers.
(iii)Towers
 to defend walls and city and afford the outflanking of enemy (crossfire)
 reinforce walls structurally
 ballistically represent an advantage as can fire further away
 medieval towns- elements

5.Cathedral, Church
 these often attained excessive size and magnificence when compared to the number of
inhabitants of the city.
 dominated not only skyline but frequently also surrounding countryside
e.g. Chartres Cathedral
 immensely wealthy, owning territory within and without the city
 organ of religion and all social services: care of sick and aged, shelter for passing
travellers, education.
 medieval towns- elements

6.Streets
i)Early Medieval Period
 based on established ‘long distance’ tracks, determined by contours (geomorphology
street networks)
 often maze-like, with no apparent logical pattern, but functional. Differentiation of
commercial uses along different streets developed.
 winding narrow streets helped to protect unglazed windows (with probably, leather
flaps) from bitter winds and prevented easy conquest by invaders.
 medieval towns- elements

ii)High Medieval Period

 rational and geometric street systems (rectilinear) particularly associated with New Town
Foundations.
Social structure is usually reflected in street networks and property patterns:
 street width
 building block depth
 block size
 individual neighbourhoods/districts reflect a homogenous architecture and social strata.
medieval towns- france
Aigues-Mortes 1240.
 founded by St. Louis (Louis IX) as base for his crusade to the holy land (seventh
Crusade) It remains a perfect example of a St. Louis IX bastide.
 for about 15,000 inhabitants
 built on flat meadow land west of Rhone delta and, at the time, only French port on
Mediterranean coast; it outlived its purpose and did not expand.
 grid-iron plan measures about 650 x 300 yards and is somewhat distorted.
 Nevertheless, it represents at carefully delineated and planned grid:
 1 central street runs the length of the plan, past market; further streets on either side
and 5 streets at right angles.
 massive fortifications: 35’ high with 15 towers built by son of the founder, Phillipe le
Hardi in 1272 with help of Simone Boccanegra of Italy.
 a citadel or fortress is located in the north-west corner of the plan: it is guarded by
the tour de Constance immediately beyond the city wall.
medieval towns- bastides of france
Aigues-Mortes 1240.

by the end of the 14th

century the channel
linking town to the sea
silted up. It was then
separated by about 3
miles of salt marsh from
the sea and Its role as a
port disappeared.
medieval towns- bastides of england & wales

 English ‘bastides’ were replacement towns for settlements fallen into disuse or ruins
for some reason or another.
 Most medieval towns in England grew horizontally since fortifications were not
required after Norman times. Bastides, however, were required in Wales by Edward I
in order to control the local population.
 These bastides were built on lines of French ones i.e. regular army garrisons with
associated trading functions.
 Edward’s bastides in Wales were located in strategic positions. Welsh and Jewish
citizens were not permitted to settle in them (whereas the French accepted any
reputable person) while English settlers were attracted by large grants. The plans
were always based on some kind of grid, however, outer boundaries often being
irregular.
Welsh examples: 1.Flint 2.Caernavon 3.Conway
English examples were all replacement towns:
1.1287 Winchelsea 2.1293 Kingston-on-hull Salisbury ( Old Sarum)
3.1220 - a church foundation 4.1227 - granted royal charter
medieval towns- bastides of england & wales
bastides of Germany/Switzerland
THE ZAHRINGER NEW TOWNS
 One group of planned new town, in particular, deserves special mention in relation to
the urban colonizations of the Middle Ages: the huge promotion of the Zähringer New
Towns, which included:

In Switzerland:
Bern, Zürich, Thun, Murten, Fribourg, Burgdorf, Rheinfelden

In Germany:
Freibourg, Neuenburg, Rottweil, Villigen, Offenburg
bastides of Germany/Switzerland
bastides of Germany/Switzerland
 medieval towns- conclusion

Medieval town design was refined through a process of development lasting several
centuries. It produced both individual and typical solutions in the grouping and sequence
of building elements. It was particularly successful in developing dominant focal elements
within the city and in their use to symbolize the tension between the various
contemporary powers.
The beauty of the medieval city is derived from its underlying order. This does not mean
that everything is tidy and in its place (18th C. cities had order too!) but refers to a much
higher order which rules every aspect of urban life: the common belief in an all powerful
God before whom all and everything is small and equal.
Medieval Architecture and Urban Design served this God. Together, they display a rank
order of values.
Thankyou !