In medieval Europe, trade was a key part of the day-to-day economy. Great trading cities would see hundreds, if not thousands, of merchants pass through their city gates every year, selling wares from lands as far away as India and China. It is hard to fathom in todays multicultural age of travel and consumerism, but wares such as pottery from China could fetch huge prices in European markets. Some Medieval cities stood out more than others as epicenters of trade; in this article, we will discuss eight of the most important trading cities from the medieval age.1. VeniceProcession in St Marks Square in Venice, painting by Gentile Bellini, 1490. Source: Accademia, VeniceMany Italian cities were hubs of trade during the Middle Ages, but few more so than Venice. Located in northeast Italy, the city on the lagoon became a center of medieval trade for centuries.Being located on the Adriatic Sea, Venices geographical position gave it an advantage over numerous other Italian city-states at the time, and having such strong links with the Catholic Church gave it the political backing that it needed to become one of the most powerful trading cities in the medieval world.In addition, Venice also sat at the Mediterranean end of the Silk Road, making it a perfect location for travelers from Europe to stock up on supplies and wares to sell in the Middle and Far East. Likewise, it served as an endpoint at which Eastern travelers and merchants could sell their goods.Trade undoubtedly influenced the cuisine of Venice as well, with exotic spices such as saffron, cardamom, and more being used in cooking, especially in the great noble homes and villas of the region.Canal in modern Venice, photo by Damiano Baschiera. Source: UnsplashPerhaps the most notable site in Venice for trade began as early as the 13th century when German merchants were granted permission to build the Fondaco dei Tedeschi on the Grand Canal.Literally translated as German Warehouse, the building was situated directly across from the fresh fish, vegetable, and fruit markets that Venice was already known for, and it held the one thing that trading communities thrived on: wood.Transported from the Alps Mountains by the river to the lagoon of Venice, timber from the forests of Germany and the Alpine region was processed and sold from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi to numerous traders, construction workers, and shipbuilders in the region. In turn, the German merchants bought exotic goods from the East, and sent them back up to Germanynew, fragrant spices, perfumes, and silks were deemed luxuries in the Middle Ages.Venice was undoubtedly one of the most important trading cities in the medieval world.2. MilanPiazza Mercantithe heart of medieval Milan. Source: Wikimedia CommonsMilan, also located in northern Italy, was another trading epicenter in the Middle Ages. Milans advantage over Venice was its sheer sizeat one point, one of the largest cities in medieval Europeattracting thousands of merchants to its gates.However, Milans heyday was at the other end of the Middle Ages, and came later, running into the Renaissance years of the Early Modern Period.Much of Milans trade came from its natural surroundings and the agriculture that thrived on the citys borders, such as the vineyards of northern Italy which produced wine that was drunk all around Europe, from the Balkans to the British Isles.Milan was also easier to access than many other Italian cities, and it meant that merchants no longer had to travel to Rome or cross the water to Venice, making Milan an attractive option for them to sell their wares and trade other goods in the northern Italian region.3. GenoaA view of Genoa and its fleet in 1481, by Cristoforo de Grassi, 1597. Source: Wikimedia CommonsAnother Italian city-state, Genoa, was an incredibly powerful medieval city that thrived on trade. Located in northwest Italy on the Mediterranean Sea, the port city of Genoa was not just a powerful European city, but an incredibly powerful global city Christopher Columbus himself, for example, was Geonese, not Spanish.Because of its location, Genoa expanded at a rapid rate, from its humble origins as a quiet fishing village to one of the most important trading centers in the medieval world.Much of Genoas wealth came from its location, and how it strategically controlled trade through the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.The Genoese military was highly envied, and many Genoese soldiers were bought as mercenaries in numerous wars in medieval Europe; they featured heavily in the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Because of their military prowess, the Genoese built numerous fortresses along their trading routes, even as far afield as Crimea.Alongside seafood and weaponry, the Genoese are also credited with inventing denim cloth which was in turn used to supply sailors and other merchants so they could wear more durable clothing. Naturally, it fetched a pretty price and ultimately helped to boost the medieval economy of Genoa even higher than before.4. GironaGirona, photographer unknown. Source: Wikimedia CommonsNot to get mixed up with Genoa, Girona, located in the Catalonia region of northeast Spain, was another medieval city that thrived on trade.Girona had similar beginnings to many of the large medieval trading cities, with a simple agricultural market held once a week being the main form of trade in the city and its surrounding areas.However, during the Middle Ages merchants and buyers began visiting Girona for goods that they struggled to get elsewhere. Girona became famous for its leather, useful in crafting and weaponry, and the city also became an ideal location to buy weapons from.By the turn of the 14th century, Gironas merchants were regularly trading with cities hundreds of miles away, such as those in the Flemish region of Europe, where they would trade Gironan leather for Flemish textiles.The textile industry was also prevalent in Girona, toobedclothes, bedsheets, and wool were also traded in the city, and those in the surrounding towns and villages would travel to the city, especially for these necessary goods, and thus encounter foreign merchants who were also peddling their wares at the same time, creating a bustling trading economy in the medieval city of Girona.5. DubrovnikThe Old City, Dubrovnik. Source: Wikimedia CommonsAgain, Dubrovnik became an epicenter of medieval trade because of its strategic location: placed perfectly between the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea, this huge city could control the trade to and from the Mediterranean, Africa, the Balkans, and even further afield.Merchants from Dubrovnik famously sailed under a white flag with the writing Libertas on itthe Latin word for Freedom. They were associated with neutrality and peace and kept much of their trade going despite often trading with warring factions.One of Dubrovniks biggest achievements was being one of the first European cities to introduce quarantine as a method of dealing with the bubonic plague outbreak in the mid-14th century known as the Black Death. As a result, Dubrovnik still managed to maintain their trade, whereas other cities completely shut down and their economies collapsed as a result.Following the Black Death, from the mid-14th century onwards, Dubrovniks trading empire grew, and they were regularly trading with other areas in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, including Sicily, Syria, and Egypt.6. ParisParis illustration from Chroniques de Jean Froissart, 1475. Source: BnFOne of the most important shopping cities in the world today, Pariss reputation as a trading city harks back to the Middle Ages and even earlier.In fact, even before the Roman Conquest of Gaul in 50 BCE, the inhabitants of Paris (known as Parisii) had traded with cities in countries as far afield as Spain and even Eastern Europe.So by the time the Middle Ages came around, Paris became a focal point of medieval trade and Europes largest city. Wine was one of the biggest commodities that was tradedand even today, French wine holds a reputation as some of the worlds best. In the Medieval Period, the numerous vineyards that surrounded Paris produced gallons of wine, which were traded and shipped as far afield as North Africa and Eastern Europe.Medieval Paris was also famed for its tanneries, and leather was another commodity sold throughout Europe from the French capital.During the Middle Ages, Paris hosted its world-renowned trade fairs, which were held annually and attracted hundreds, if not thousands, of merchants from across the world where they could buy Parisian goods and sell their own.7. York15th century York, by E. Ridsdale Tate, 1914. Source: York CastleLast but certainly not least, the city of York in northern England was another key trading city in the medieval world. What sets York apart was that it was not a coastal city like so many others, but it did make use of the nearby port of Hull where it sent and received many goods during the Middle Ages.Yorks reputation grew initially as a local market city, and famous meat markets were held in the Shambles: an area of York that still exists today almost exactly as it did during the Medieval Period.Given its geographical location, York was too cold for vineyards, so it made its money through wool, which it traded as far afield as the Baltic States in northeastern Europe. It was also famed for trading in grain, which it shipped both abroad and throughout the rest of the country.Many medieval monarchs traveled through York on their way to Scotland, and King Edward I (r. 1272-1307) famously moved his Parliament to York in 1298, once again reflecting the citys importance both commercially and politically during the Middle Ages.ConclusionMedieval Market scene, 15th century. Source: Wikimedia CommonsIn conclusion, many cities in the Middle Ages were trading centers, and many of them still have that reputation today. From the coastal fortresses of Genoa to the wool trade of York, medieval Europe attracted merchants from as far away as China and Egypt to trade in the goods that were on offer, and vice versa.