Today's Main City Squares

City squares can be found in most North-western European cities; these open spaces are publicly accessible and have a role as civic meeting place. Some squares are more important than others; they form the main place of interaction in the centre of the city and, therefore, are referred to as 'main city squares'. While we are walking through a city, sitting at a terrace, looking at the shopping windows, or just standing still, we observe the atmosphere of the place. However, not every square that has a central role in the city is a successful main square per se. Is there a link between the pleasantness of a main city square and the age or shape of the city centre? But what is, then, the role of city squares in today's society and what makes these squares more or less successful? These are questions that will be dealt with in this book.