Urban space, through the layout of streets and the distribution of functions, played a significant role in shaping social, economic, religious, and ethnic hierarchies in medieval cities. Both deliberate and accidental urban planning processes determined mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. Analyses of selected cities in Central Europe, based on GIS methods, space syntax, and Space Validation Index, as well as architectural and archaeological studies, allow for the evaluation of the impact of spatial structure on social divisions. The results suggest that the organization of urban space could promote the marginalization of specific groups and the concentration of elites. Understanding these processes enables a better grasp of the role of space in shaping social relationships and daily life in medieval cities.
