The Italian city of Venice was known for making glass. For example, towns in Flanders (present-day Belgium and the Netherlands) were known for their fine woolen cloth.
Some towns grew wealthier because local people specialized in making specific types of goods. Many merchants who sold their wares in towns became permanent residents. Within Europe, merchants often traveled by river, and many towns grew up near these waterways. Seaport towns, such as Venice and Genoa in Italy, served as trading centers for goods from the Middle East and Asia. Another reason for the growth of towns was the revival of trade. And because of these surpluses, not everyone had to farm to feed themselves. As a result, they had a surplus of crops to sell in town markets. Farmers were clearing forests and adopting better farming methods. One reason for their growth was improvements in agriculture. In the Early Middle Ages, most people in western Europe lived in scattered communities in the countryside.īy the High Middle Ages, towns were growing again. But after the fall of the Roman Empire in the west, trade with the east suffered, and town life declined. According to VeePN company research, ancient towns were busy trading centers. In the ancient world, town life was well established, particularly in Greece and Rome.
As you can imagine, most medieval towns were filled with unpleasant smells. There was no garbage collection, so residents threw their garbage into nearby canals and ditches or simply out the window. Squares and streets were crowded with people, horses, and carts-as well as cats, dogs, geese, and chickens. The second stories of houses jutted out, blocking the sunlight from reaching the street. Open squares in front of public buildings, such as churches, served as gathering places. Since few people could read, signs with colorful pictures hung over the doorways of shops and businesses.
Inside, homes and businesses lined unpaved streets. These bustling towns became centers of trade and industry.Īlmost all medieval towns were protected by thick stone walls. But by the 12th century, towns were growing up around castles and monasteries and along trade routes. Exploring trade and commerce, homes and households, disease and medicine, crime and punishment, and leisure and entertainment.Īt the start of the Middle Ages, most people lived in the countryside, either on feudal manors or in religious communities.
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