Blurb:

The chapter begins with an overview of the stone houses in Visby, built between 1200 and 1350. About 125 are preserved, but it has been estimated that maybe 400 or 500 were originally built. The chapter also presents the major public buildings in Visby, including a large merchant hall, at least two large guild halls and a possible dancing house. Furthermore, all the ecclesiastical institutions in Visby are presented, in order to underline the multicultural character of the city. The chapter ends with a discussion about the character of Visby before it became a Hanseatic city in 1354. The number of stone houses makes Visby unique not only in Scandinavia but in the whole of northern Europe.