Medievalists.net

Where the Middle Ages Begin

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles

Medievalists.net

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Articles

Urban Territories in Late Medieval Brussels. Imagined Frontiers and Responsible Institutions

by Sandra Alvarez
September 28, 2014
Medieval Brussels Map
Medieval Brussels Map
Medieval Brussels Map

Urban Territories in Late Medieval Brussels. Imagined Frontiers and Responsible Institutions

Bram Vannieuwenhuyze (University of Ghent)

Frontiers and Identities: Cities in Regions and Nations, Pisa, 2008, pp. 75-86.

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the spatial analysis of intra-urban territories which existed in late medieval and early modern Brussels (Belgium). By studying their morphological characteristics and origins, I seek to understand their functions within urban society. These intra-urban territories did not have clear or stable frontiers, unless they were demarcated by town walls. he territories were deined by a chain of loose spatial elements. he town council used them to organise urban defence and to apply fiscal and commercial rules. herefore, they were created ex nihilo, revealing the divide et impera policy of the town council.

Throughout history, cities have been described in many ways. Some authors enumerate the most striking properties and qualities of the city. Other writers conceive of cities as conglomerations of significant buildings and structures (e.g. city halls, churches, town walls, palaces, important roads and markets). In both approaches the city is reduced to its most characteristic elements. Other aspects of the urban experience remained unstudied although they were certainly characterized by speciic particularities. During the 18th century, some guides and chronicles of Brussels tried to ill this gap by describing the different parts of the city one by one. he ‘advertisement’ for the readers of such an edition clearly indicated that the inhabitants of large cities oten ignored the things that made their city famous. Because of improvements in statistical methods and administrative practice, the entire urban surface could more easily be grasped in one single approach. Yet, this kind of description and analysis oten risks being static and colourless.

Click here to read this article from Frontiers and Identities

Subscribe to Medievalverse




Related Posts

  • Gaelic Ireland’s English frontiers in the late Middle Ages
  • Citizenship through the perspective of borders and frontiers
  • Cultural geographies of the contact zone: Gaels, Galls and overlapping territories in late medieval Ireland
  • Visualising Urban Space: Rome’s Late Medieval Iconography from a Media Historical Perspective
  • Townscape and Building Complexes in Medieval Western Anatolia under Turkish-Islamic Culture
TagsArchitecture in the Middle Ages • Belgium • Commerce in the Middle Ages • Early Modern Period • Fifteenth Century • Later Middle Ages • Medieval Social History • Medieval Urban Studies • Renaissance • Urban and City Business in the Middle Ages

Post navigation

Previous Post Previous Post
Next Post Next Post

Medievalists Membership

Become a member to get ad-free access to our website and our articles. Thank you for supporting our website!

Sign Up Member Login

More from Medievalists.net

Become a Patron

We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model.

 

We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval. Our website, podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages. We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast, hire more writers, build more content, and remove the advertising on our platforms. This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce.

Become a Patron Member Login

Medievalists.net

Footer Menu

  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Copyright © 2025 Medievalists.net
  • Powered by WordPress
  • Theme: Uku by Elmastudio
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter