In conducting my research in Valletta (Malta), a sixteenth century town planned by the Knights, the logic of its arrangement has been mentioned several times: the idea of a left- and right-hand side to the city, the latter being for trade and business, and the left for leisure and ‘other’ (which is where Strait Street is situated). I have accumulated quite a bit of information about this, and understand it to be a feature of many towns and cities of this period. However I haven’t yet been able to locate any definitive sources which either describe this aspect of medieval and early post medieval town planning, or which critique it. A quick Google trawl didn’t reveal anything obvious. Can anyone help with sources that either describe this situation in general, or in the Mediterranean specifically.
With many thanks.
John