Trade in Middle Age Europe was a dangerous and risky business, so the only way for merchants to protect themselves was by travelling together. The Hanseatic League was a league of merchant associations or trading guilds (called Hansa), formed by the cities of Northern Germany and the Baltic. Once established, the Hansa maintained a trade monopoloy over the Baltic Sea, and to some extent the North Sea and most of Northern Europe, between the 13th and 17th centuries.

The impetus for the formation of the Hanseatic League was trade along the "Salt Road" which ran between the Geman cities of Hamburg and Lübeck. The salt, which was used to salt and dry meat and fish, making transport and distribution possible, was mined in Kiel.

What energy it must have taken to establish such a pan-European network in that era, without all the new technologies that facilitate communication today between people and countries!

A Bit of History

In 1241 an alliance was formed between two cities in northern Germany, Lübeck and Hamburg to fight against highwaymen on the roads and pirates in the Baltic and North Seas, with the objective of securing all routes, both terrestrial and maritime.

As the years went by, more cities joined the alliance, including Cologne and Danzig (Gdańsk). At the height of its power The League numbered over 60 cities, and acquired immense power, which it held it for three hundred years.

Today many of these cities still possess some of the typical architecture of the Hanseatic period: the widespread use of brick in constructing houses and other buildings, and the decoration of town halls and warehouses with tiered gables. Over the years a host of other German cites became allied with the Hanseatic League: Bremen, with its magnificent architecture, Lüneburg and its half-timbered houses situated on splendid moors of purple heather, Rostock, a city nearly 800 years old, and Wismar, which features on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

At the end of the 15th century, when the Hansa had lost its power, no more than three allied cities remained in the League: Lübeck, Bremen and Hamburg, which are all still proud of their past and continue to be called “Hanseatic Cities".

Trading Posts and Trade Routes

To develop both land and sea-based commerce, the Hansa rapidly established four trading posts from which commercial activity extended from the British Isles to Russia and from Flanders in Belgium to Scandinavia. Rivers and streams gave the Hanseatic League access to the hinterlands of Germany and Poland.

The exchanges were straightforward: merchandise from the west (woollen cloth, wines, salt and Mediterranean products) for the primary goods of the east and north (furs, wax, amber, copper, iron, dried cod, wheat, wood and beer).

In the United Kingdom, London was chosen as the principal trading post for commerce with the rest of England and with Scotland. In England, pretty remains of this fruitful era can be admired in Hull, a little village on the banks of the River Humber, in Ipswich with its old historic centre on the waterside, in York, and again in King’s Lynn (don’t miss the medieval port and the many warehouses dating from the glorious years of the Hansa). In Scotland, a must for all visitors is the magnificent city of Edinburgh, one of the most agreeable cities in Great Britain, and its impressive historic monuments set in a magical setting.

In Belgium, several Flemish cities were also members of the League. Bruges which was on the seacoast at the time, had great standing in the Hanseatic League as a primary market, its port being one of the most important in the region. Along with Antwerp, it traded with northern Germany, Holland, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Damme is another lovely town that bears the vestiges of its Hanseatic days, and is still connected to Bruges by canal.

In Holland the most well-known Hanseatic towns are near the river Ijssel. Deventer is one of the oldest villages in Holland, and the merchants here were especially busy in the golden days of the Hansa. The town has beautifully preserved its rich cultural and historical heritage. The other Hanseatic cities worth a visit are, conveniently, relatively close to each other: Zutphen, Kampen, Zwolle, Doesburg, Hattem, Hasselt and Olst/Wijhe. These towns offer special 'city walks' focusing on their Hanseatic heritage, all in beautiful surroundings. There is even a long distance footpath - the "Hanseatic City Foot Path".

In France, Bruges also traded with Bordeaux: the wines of the region were exported to northern Europe. Nantes was a commercial platform for salt, which was exchanged for furs from the Baltic countries. La Rochelle lived almost entirely on the sale of salt and wine.

In Spain most commerce was transacted primarily with Bilbao, for Castilian wool, which was exported to Flanders and other Hanseatic cities.

Portugal exported its wines from Lisbon. A visit to this sublime city is a must! It is unique amongst European capitals, being situated between ocean and river: the excellent Atlantic beaches rival those on the banks of the River Tagus.

In Italy, the three major cities with commercial connections to the Hansa were the legendary cities of Venice, Florence, and Genoa.

Norway traded throughout Scandinavia from its post in Bergen. The old centre of Bryggen, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, houses the port and magnificent merchants’ warehouses of the time, painted in brilliant colors.

In Denmark, the trading posts were in Copenhagen and at Dragor, an important market for herring.

In its role as commercial centre, Stockholm, Sweden has preserved the medieval centre and some genuine architectural treasures on the island of Gamla Stan. The pretty medieval city of Visby, on the isle of Gotland, as well as the Gotland and Oland region are truly worth your time for a visit.

In Finland, the former capital city of Turku was an important trading post and will plunge you back into this bygone era.

In Russia, Novgorod was the main warehouse for northeastern Europe, and there was a constant flow of trade in Russian territory headed towards Prussia, Poland, and Livonia (the Baltic States).

In Poland, Danzig (Gdańsk) nicknamed “the Pearl of the Baltic” was the most strategic point in Poland. Krakow, former capital of Poland, was the largest marketplace at the time, and traded as far as Constantinople (Istanbul).

In Latvia, the primary market was in Riga, the capital of the country. It is now the metropolitan centre, not only of the country, but of the entire Baltic region. Due to its strategic position, Riga has always functioned as a trading centre and a link between East and West. The Old Town of Riga is listed in UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List, and consists of buildings from the Middle Ages and subsequent periods of Swedish, Polish, Russian and German influence.

In Lithuania, Kaunas was one of the most important commercial hubs for trade with western Europe.

In Estonia, the market was in Tallinn, whose medieval heritage is also protected by UNESCO, and at Tartu, formerly Dorpat, one of the principal markets on the Baltic coast.