Worldbuilding

Cobblestone Lanes and Majestic Towers: Medieval Cities and Roads

March 28, 2024
Matthew A Olson

Today, we chart a journey back to the medieval era, take a look at the establishment of cities and roads, and how we classify these settlements and pathways by their roles within the kingdom they reside in. 

A Glimpse Into Settlement and Travel

Grand fortresses. Sleepy hamlets. Ancient roadways. Woodland trails.

Whether you are a history student, a non-fiction or fantasy writer, a tabletop dungeon master, a game developer, a world builder, or a creative lore master, digging into the past provides us with a wealth of knowledge about the Old World.

Throughout the medieval age, remnants of past centuries provide us with insights into the lives, travel, and settlements of peasants, merchants, knights, and nobles alike. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, there were significant movements of populations, empires that rose and fell, and a wide variety of cultures and ways of life.

As a companion piece to our recently released Fantasy City Name Generator and Fantasy Street Name Generator (publishing soon), we aimed to expand on how we classify various types of settlements and roads during the medieval period.

So, let’s dig into some facts about how settlement hierarchy, and the various pathways people took to travel from settlement to settlement.

From Hamlets to Grand Palaces: City Hierarchy

Establishing what a settlement hierarchy looks like in a fantasy world is not an easy task, and is the subject of much debate. Aside from what age your city exists in, factors such as population size, architecture, institutions, and resource management all play a role. 

Is your city the center of nobility, royalty, and the elite? Is it a small trading hub in the outlands? Is it an industrial capitol near a source of raw materials? Is it a military vanguard against invasion from an opposing nation? Many settlements; many natures.

Fortunately, we can establish basic details such as population and institutional identity based upon historical examples.

What is the role of the city?

All cities serve a role not just to the people residing within it, but the larger territory or region that it exists in. Due to the activity generated by production, markets, institutions, and administrative control, each city rests within a specific sphere of influence and importance within a nation, kingdom, colony, or province.

How large is the city?

The size of a city in terms of its population determines the range of its services and amenities. Smaller populations typically are communities in rural areas that are more self-sustained with limited commercial activity or trade. Larger communities are hubs of activity that must sustain their populations with food, resources, public areas, and multiple amenities for trade, leisure, and entertainment.

City Size 11-13th Century Pop. Contemporary Pop.
Hamlet
Fewer than 20
Fewer than 100
Village
20 - 1,000
100 - 1,000
Small Town
1,000 - 2,500
1,000 - 20,000
Large Town
2,500 - 8,000
20,000+
City
8,000 - 12,000
100,000 - 300,000
Large City
12,000 - 100,000
500,000 - 3 million

Population size also contributes directly to the scale of its economy, its administrative function, its geographic size, and the defenses required to protect the said settlement.

How does size relate to production?

Ultimately, understanding settlement hierarchy tells us not just size, but also the specific distribution and organization of people and resources. In terms of resources, all cities serve the purpose of being conduits of production.

Smaller settlements are typically rural in nature, focusing on the harvesting of remote natural resources (food, minerals, timber, livestock, furs, hand-made products, etc). In terms of processing and using those materials, the hamlet or village may persist on the supply chain from a larger settlement or contain multi-talented individuals who work to sustain the needs of the community.

Medium settlements are places of modest congregations. This means more people to scale up the natural resource extraction. This also means a variety of trades that convert those resources into processed materials (lumber, masonry, iron, etc. ) and trades that provide a service as a specialization (construction, crafts, health, food preparation, trade, etc). The city will also see an increase in amenities to support the lifestyle of its population. Small institutions for trade, education, defense, and administration are established to manage the more complex or intensive societal aspects, though singular large institutions may also define the specialization of the settlement.

Larger settlements multiply this secondary production, and maintains the need to service a large population with a wide variety of amenities. Layered atop the increase in goods and services, multiple large institutions for administration, commerce, humanities, and defense. This also justifies the need for large public works.

A Glossary of Medieval Roads and Streets

Of course, we cant forget about roads and streets, the various arteries and capillaries that connect our medieval world, settlement to settlement. Here is a large list of various types of roads found throughout medieval Europe, and their definitions.

Types of Medieval Roads:

  1. Roman Roads: Sturdy and straight roads that form the foundation of medieval transportation networks after the fall of the Roman empire.
  2. Trade Routes: Vital pathways connecting major trading hubs, facilitating commerce and cultural exchange during the medieval period.
  3. Pilgrimage Routes: Sacred paths intended to enable and foster spiritual journeys to key religious sites within medieval Europe and beyond.
  4. Royal Highway: Sometimes referred to as a “King’s Highway”, these are prominent thoroughfares emblematic of royal authority, and pivotal for administrative control, trade, and defense.
  5. Packhorse Trails: Winding paths traversable by pack animals, crucial for transporting goods across difficult terrain inaccessible to carts and carriages.
  6. Causeways: Raised roads built over bogs and marshlands, allowing safe passage through otherwise waterlogged landscapes.
  7. Byways: Branching routes that exit off of the main roads, leading to villages, hamlets, and more remote destinations in medieval times.
  8. Medieval Bridges: Architectural marvels enabling road crossings over rivers and streams, pivotal for trade and connectivity.
  9. Forest Roads: Pathways meandering through wooded regions, utilized for hunting, logging, and accessing natural resources.
  10. Military Roads: Strategically constructed pathways enabling troop movement and logistical support during medieval conflicts.
  11. Highland Roads: Roads engineered to traverse mountainous terrain, overcoming steep slopes and rugged landscapes for trade and travel.
  12. Coastal Roads: Routes running along coastlines, connecting ports, fishing villages, and coastal settlements, vital for maritime commerce.
  13. Trackways: Early pathways utilized by medieval travelers, often consisting of beaten earth or gravel for basic transportation needs.
  14. Ridge Roads: Roads following natural ridges or elevated terrain, offering advantageous paths through challenging landscapes.
  15. Portway: A medieval trade route connecting inland areas to coastal ports, facilitating efficient transportation of goods and fostering economic growth.
  16. Hollow-way: A medieval sunken lane formed by centuries of foot and cart traffic, offering glimpses into ancient transportation routes.

Types of Medieval Streets:

  1. Market Street: A bustling medieval thoroughfare where merchants, traders, and bargainers interacted socially and commercially.
  2. High Street: Main arterial road in medieval towns and cities, lined with shops, taverns, and guildhalls, showcasing urban prosperity and civic life.
  3. Lane: Narrow medieval street winding through urban neighborhoods, offering glimpses into daily life and community ties of the era.
  4. Alley: Quaint medieval passageway connecting streets and squares, often brimming with characterful architecture and hidden gems.
  5. Wynd: A quaint medieval passage similar to a lane but often narrower and more winding, embodying the picturesque character of medieval urban streetscapes.
  6. Boulevard: Broad urban avenue in medieval cities, adorned with trees and public spaces, reflecting civic pride and grandeur.
  7. Thoroughfare: Essential medieval street linking key districts and landmarks, facilitating movement and commerce within urban centers.
  8. Square: Central plaza in medieval towns, serving as a focal point for gatherings, markets, and civic events.
  9. Row: Continuous line of medieval buildings along a street, showcasing architectural unity and urban cohesion.
  10. Promenade: Elegant medieval street adorned with gardens and promenades, providing leisurely strolls and scenic vistas.
  11. Quay: Waterfront street in medieval ports, bustling with maritime activity and trade, vital for commerce and cultural exchange.

Citation and Further Reading

Art Credits

So what do YOU think? Did you find this resource helpful, or want me to dig into a related topic? … If you enjoyed this piece, please consider supporting the site with a Ko-Fi donation, leave a comment about what you liked, and share this article in your group, forum, or network.

Thanks for reading! I enjoy learning about early settlements and sharing my knowledge. Be sure to look out for upcoming articles on medieval villages, towns, and cities

If you enjoyed this piece, please consider supporting the site with a Ko-Fi donation, leave a comment about what you liked, and share this article in your group, forum, or network.

This is a companion piece to our new random name generators. Check them out below:

You might enjoy some of these other generators as well:

Here are some other articles I wrote you can check out on your journey through medieval and fantasy society:

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