- advantages are trade connections, water supply etc.

- disadvantages are floodings, pirate attacks etc.

- part of the Hanseatic league (Lübeck, Bremen, HH ….) to work on common interests as protection against pirates

- most of the city is focused aorund the river accesses

- St. Nikolai in the western centre, more cathedrals are spread over the town (with an accumulation of churches in the west of the markets (St. Petri; Dom and Johanneskloster))

- prior settlement (Hamma-Burg) (destroyed by vikings and then rebuilt)

- two monasteries outside of the centre

- markets in the east

- street lines lay at the edges of the islands

- expansion towards the south (because of growth etc.)

- ways go to the south, north, west and east

- red towers are the gates of the town, a wall sorrounds the city

- churches are built in the middle of islands or near water

- mills are near the water

- another wall separates Kleine Alster and Große Alster (also for protection)