Architecture and Environment in the Medieval Maghreb

About this episode

The episode explores Islamic architecture in the Medieval Maghreb, focusing on the imperial city of Marrakesh and its historical dynasties.

with Abbey Stockstill hosted by Chris Gratien | What is Islamic architecture? In this follow-up to our ten-part seires on The Making of the Islamic World, we explore that question with Prof. Abbey Stockstill, author of Marrakesh and the Mountains: Landscape, Urban Planning, and Identity in the Medieval Maghrib . Our conversation centers on the imperial city of Marrakesh, which was shaped by two successive dynasties — the Almoravids and the Almohads — with two competing visions of Muslim religious and political life that left an indelible imprint on the Maghreb region from the Sahara to al-Andalus. As Prof. Stockstill explains, understanding the architectural legacy of these dynasties extends far beyond the confines of monumental features of mosques and minarets. Natural landscapes and agricultural spaces played an equally vital role in the built environment of medieval Morocco, which in turn influenced the development of architecture in what is now southern Spain during the last centuries of Islamic rule. « Click for More »

People in this episode

Host: Chris Gratien

Guest: Abbey Stockstill

Topics covered

• Islamic architecture
• Medieval Maghreb
• Urban planning
• Cultural identity
• Historical dynasties

Keywords

• Islamic architecture
• Marrakesh
• Almoravids
• Almohads
• Medieval Maghreb
• urban planning
• cultural identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Almoravids, Almohads

Books & works: Marrakesh and the Mountains: Landscape, Urban Planning, and Identity in the Medieval Maghrib

Places: Maghreb, Marrakesh, Sahara, al-Andalus

More episodes of Ottoman History Podcast

• Film Diplomacy in Turkey-US Relations · June 4, 2026
• The Ottoman Genizah · May 23, 2026
• Soykırımın Bürokrasisi · May 16, 2026
• Osmanlı ve Türkiye Sanayileşme Tarihi · April 15, 2026
• The Turkishness Contract · March 16, 2026
• A Confederate General in the Ottoman Capital · March 3, 2026