Exploring Medieval Buildings
WHAT WE ARE DOING
WHY WE ARE DOING IT
Discovering that different cultures shaped space in different ways
Creating hand-drawn, layered maps that will later inform the design of your cardboard city
ACTIVITY MATERIALS
ACTIVITY RESOURCES
Check the toolbox!
ACTIVITY LESSON
Key Elements
Proximity to river
City Areas
- Suburbs – outskirts of the city where workers, farmers, or migrants live.
City Areas
- City Walls & Bridges (if near river)
City Areas
3. Area for craftsmen/Guilds
Carpenter. Butcher. Wheelwright
Small & constructed haphazardly
Low quality wood
City Areas
4. Institutional Area : Shelters, Orphanages
Schools, Universities
City Areas
5. Residential area around Organic paths
Narrow streets
Key Elements
Main road wide : Stones with gutters drainage
Narrow and muddy streets, out of window waste
City Areas
6.Main square
- Tavern
- Church
- City Hall
- Pillory
- Well or a pump
- Wealth Houses
- (tallest &most ornaments)
- Wealthy shops
Main square
- Tavern
- Church
- City Hall
- Pillory
- Well or a pump
- Wealth Houses
- (tallest &most ornaments)
- Wealthy shops
5
4
3
1
2
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
Main square
- Tavern
- Church
- City Hall
- Pillory
- Well or a pump
Church
Gothic Style
Church
Citadel
Highest Point on the periphery
Castle / Citadel – ruler’s home, military center
Towers & watchposts
ACTIVITY PROMPT
1st
Each team focuses on one district within a medieval city, such as:
- Suburban District – outskirts of the city where workers, farmers, or migrants live.(group of 3)
- City walls (yes it will be considered as an area as it will include gates and bridges) (group of 3)
- A craft or guild neighborhood (group of 3)
- Area for Shelters, Orphanages, Schools, Universities (group of 4)
- Residential Area (group of 6)
- Main Square with church (group of 10)
2.1
Research
From the previous lesson, answer the following questions for your selected area:
What buildings are central to this area?
(For example: church, market, workshops, homes, gates)
What is this district mainly used for?
(Trade, living, worship, crafting, farming, protection)
Are there social rules, traditions, or customs that shape how people live or work here?
How does this district connect to other parts of the city?
(Main roads, gates, squares, river, nearby districts)
What do the streets look like?
(Narrow or wide, straight or winding, dense or open)
2.2
Research
Study the map layouts of each district and try to recreate your own layout for your district.
Check the next slides for this step.
3rd
Drawing
Each team creates a large hand-drawn map of their district on an A3 Paper
Mapping Layers (drawn by hand or on tracing paper):
- Base map: streets, walls, gates
- Buildings: homes, markets, workshops, religious spaces
- Movement: paths people take daily
- Culture layer: symbols, colors, or patterns showing traditions
Students should label clearly and include a legend.
4th
Comparison & Discussion
Teams place their maps side by side and compare:
- How does a souk differ from a Jewish quarter?
- How does religion shape space?
- How do trade and community rules affect layout?
This discussion feeds directly into the shared cardboard city plan.
Imagine stepping inside a medieval city and discovering that different cultures shaped space in different ways. Streets, markets, homes, and religious buildings were organized based on daily life, belief, trade, and community rules.
In this activity, you will analyze how culture influenced medieval city layouts and visualize these differences through hand-drawn, layered maps that will later inform the design of your cardboard city.