Urban settlements

The beginning of the High Middle Ages saw the founding of many new towns or the granting of town charter to larger settlements. In order to escape serfdom and the possible arbitrariness of their landlord, many people move from the countryside to the city. In these areas, densely built-up areas quickly developed within the clearly demarcated city fortifications, giving rise to the densely built-up cityscape we know today. In the cities, crafts and trade flourished above all. They help a section of the middle class to achieve prosperity outside of their social class. How these cities came into being, their structure and their development can be traced through urban archaeology.