1000 -1400 AD

BACKGROUND
The time span between fall of the Roman empire till the start of renaissance is
termed as DARK AGES as no great construction or development was carried out
during this period
The "Medieval Period" or "Middle Ages" spanned the years 529AD-1500, and can be
divided into three different transitional periods:

Early Middle Ages: 500 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250 1500

The image of the ideal city of the Middle Age is related to the towns that
existed in that period, but also to the science (architecture) and to the
ancient models (Greek, Roman) rediscovered in the Renaissance.
 INTRODUCTION
How did medieval towns develop?
According to old influence, towns began to occur usually alongside castles.
As they grew in size and became prosperous, the new theme for the
medieval period were freedom, involvement, challenges and adventure.
Pattern of development of medieval towns
There are 3 basic patterns of medieval towns which corresponded to
historic origin
Round. geographical peculiarities
mode of development

Medieval towns were usually more informal than regular organic

planning- rugged rocky sites.
Typical medieval towns and a concern for functionalism localization of
business and curved streets.
Medieval urbanism is the constitution of the city in such a fashion that all
the lines converge towards the centre , and the contour is usually circular
radio centric system.
The streets were narrow and cobbled. Down the middle of each street
ran an open drain.
 THE MEDIEVAL CITY
Planning principles of medieval cites
Plan of a medieval town usually appears to be like a maze with no logical
form (because it lacks pure geometry).
The medieval City was characterized by the walls, that surrounded the
urban place and separated it from the rest of the territory
These walls made the city look like one huge fortress, where city-rules had to
be observed.
The medieval city became again a center of Economy, of administration
and church organization
Round.Around the square(market
place) were grouped all the
nobleman houses, but mainly
official buildings, like the City-
hall, Justice house.
Due to the increasing
population the City was
forced to offer space to all
citizens, so it built another wall
and another.
Our own city has four such
walls and there for also four CHARACTERISTICS MEDIEVAL TOWNS:-
squares.
 THE MEDIEVAL CITY
TOWN WALLS:-
Medieval towns were surrounded by a
Town Wall. The town wall protected the
townspeople but it was also a status
symbol. It showed where the
countryside ended and the town
began. It showed that the townspeople
were independent and it celebrated
their wealth. TOWN WALLS
Round.

Most towns had plain

walls of stone. They often
had battlemented
walkways. Towers were
located at certain points
along the wall. Town walls
had gates and
gatehouses.
Political
Establishment of feudalism; a period which
tied personal power to land ownership -
kingship and feudal lords
Economic
Resumption of trade
Establishment of craft guilds
Religious
Heavy Christian influence (period of the
Crusades)
Gothic cathedral centre piece of the city
and society
Separation of church and state
Technological
Refined stonework, the Gothic arch
No other great advances in building
engineering beyond the accomplishments
of the Romans
 Walled for the purposes of defence
and regulation of trade
Church Square
Market Places - widened streets and
squares
Pedestrian streets - organic
 Towns of Roman origin become medieval
organic growth towns e.g. York, Chester in
England
Burgs (or Boroughs) - fortified military bases
Closely spaced fortified towns. The military base
developed service industry and produce
market (e.g. Oxford)
Village Settlement - Three types-- enclosed,
linear, and dispersed-- formed basis to urban
consolidation and expansion (e.g. Hereford).
Growth based upon: economic structure -
Organic growth
 New Towns - Bastides -- thirteenth century
planned towns in France, England and
Wales.
They had a predetermined plan, gridiron
rectilinear plot subdivision, inducement to
settle based on plot and farm land in the
vicinity e.g. Montpazier, Carcassonne
 THE MEDIEVAL CITY

Round.

NOERDLINGEN CITY

EAST VIEW

SOUTH EAST VIEW

 SEGOVIA, Spain
Segovia is located at the foot of the
mountains, in the northern valleys of the
central mountain system, which turns toward
the Duero river. Its lands are high and cool.

It covers 7000 km2 and rises to 2500 metres

above sea level in its mountainous areas and
drops to 750 metres in its lowest areas. The
province borders with the south of Madrid, the
north of Burgos and Valladolid, the east of
Soria and the west of vila and Guadalajara.
Round.

A city of great importance in

Roman and medieval times,
Segovia has a AMOBIAL shaped
plan with a wall built as a
protecting shield all around its
periphery.
 SEGOVIA, Spain
Segovia's city walls, constructed in the
11th century. The walls begin and end at
the Alcazar and stretch to a length of
3km. There were originally seven gates in
the walls but only three remain to this day.
Segovia's city walls, constructed in the 11th
century. The walls begin and end at the
Alcazar and stretch to a length of 3km. There
were originally seven gates in the walls but
Round. only three remain to this day.

Segovia's city streets were laid neither in radial nor in the

grid pattern. They were planed in a maze pattern. It
proved to be a good defence tactics in case of enemy
attacks.
 Guilds
Elevated status of workers/craftsmen
Institutionalized communal ("socialized")
education and welfare for workers
Established a middle class
University form of education - law,
medicine, the arts
Period when great cities were established
Venice, Florence, Paris, London, Vienna, Munich--
the formative period of most European cities