This article is a summary review of topografie urban development of Maribor as of 12th century until 20th century. The author analyses the process of city center's tranformaron into a modem city. For this process it was firstly necessary to occupy administratively and then functionally the entire city area and fill it with activities, which conditioned its transformation from provincionally modest city into regionally important city organism, which is capable of development that is caused by inner forces.