History
The Gothic Cathedrals and the Rise of Urban Guilds
Quick fact
In 13th-century Paris, the guild of masons was so powerful that it could dictate the wages and working hours, and only its members could legally work on the city's cathedral.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever stood beneath a soaring cathedral ceiling and wondered how on earth they built it a thousand years ago? But the real wonder isn't just the arches—it's the fact that this stone giant actually created a new type of city dweller: the guild member.