The Central Town Square in Medieval Towns in the (Southern) Low Countries: Urban Life, Form, and Identity between Social Practice and Iconographic Identity

Medieval town squares in the Low Countries, often seen as symbols of urban identity and merchant glory, were not merely products of path-dependent development but resulted from deliberate strategies by various social agents. This study reveals that these emblematic spaces underwent complex biographies, with selected memories attributed to them across different historical contexts. By integrating archaeological data and historical writings, the research reconstructs the evolution of these townscapes, demonstrating how they were shaped by intentional actions rather than organic growth.

Tys, D. (2020). The Central Town Square in Medieval Towns in the (Southern) Low Countries: Urban Life, Form, and Identity between Social Practice and Iconographic Identity. Journal of Urban Archaeology, 2, 69–83. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.jua.5.121529