Mental Maps and Sacred Spaces: An Empirical Analysis of Late Medieval Towns of the Baltic Sea Region, 1420–1520

Late medieval towns along the Baltic Sea, including Toruń (Thorn), exhibited a practical emphasis on the visibility of religious landmarks in their mental landscapes. Despite local variations, urban dwellers integrated nominally Christian elements—such as named spaces or structures—into their daily spatial cognition, reflecting a deeper role for faith in shaping physical perception. The study analyzed written sources from Åbo (Turku), Reval (Tallinn), Stockholm, Stralsund, and Toruń between 1420–1520, revealing how religious elements were not merely symbolic but functionally significant in urban navigation and social life.

Hägglund, A.-S., Kołodziejczak, P., & Lamberg, M. (2025). Mental Maps and Sacred Spaces: An Empirical Analysis of Late Medieval Towns of the Baltic Sea Region, 1420–1520. Scandinavian Journal of History, 50(2), 121–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/03468755.2025.2474997