Evolution of Christian Urban Centers: Medieval to Modern
City Christian Realm
It develops from north to south. It is a walled city, featuring a castle, and fortifications (checking border protection and fiscal aspects).
- Church towers and the Camino de Santiago are prominent features.
- Religious Orders establish convents and monasteries in outer areas and suburbs.
- It functions as a commercial and industrial city; unions operate where the master's house is located, with workshops on the lower floor.
- The layout is labyrinthine but less chaotic than Islamic cities.
- Growth is organic (without initial planning).
- The real foundation of the city often follows a geometric organizational form, such as in Villareal.
The Thirteenth to Fifteenth Century City
During the XIII–XV centuries, the city is revitalized, incorporating buildings such as palaces and experiencing an urban explosion. The Modern City (16th–18th Centuries): Cities grow even without much planning. They usually extend through neighborhoods and suburbs, and walls were often torn down to allow for enlargement.
- Defensive systems change (due to evolving weaponry) to modern defense systems (e.g., Aljafería, Jaca, Pamplona).
- Monumentality increases.
- Commercial cities are established: Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona, where auctions are constructed.
The Contemporary City
This phase kicks off in the second half of the nineteenth century with the Industrial Revolution.
Urban Changes from the Mid-19th Century
- Urban Land Use: Land designated for housing, commerce, industries, or public equipment becomes a business commodity (real estate speculation). Confiscations also occur to free up space at the expense of church buildings.
- Industry and Housing: Appearance of factories and industries leads to the creation of makeshift class neighborhoods.
- Sanitation Projects: Initiatives for paving and drainage are implemented. New municipal regulations require alignments to make the city healthier and brighter.
- Cemeteries: Construction of new cemeteries.
- Demolition of Walls: Remaining walls are torn down (e.g., in Zaragoza, Valencia, Sevilla), leading to the creation of ring roads.
- Railroad Arrival: The introduction of the railroad (starting with Barcelona–Mataró in 1848) establishes new stations that guide city growth. Large spaces are required on the outskirts, necessitating expansion and the creation of new districts.
- New Public Spaces: Creation of new benchmarks and spaces through the renewal of old municipal areas (e.g., universities, arenas, prisons, markets).