The Model of the Islamic Arab City in Marrakech: From Its Origin to the End of the French Protectorate Period

This research paper aims to study the evolution process of the model of the Islamic Arab city in Marrakech, from its establishment to the end of the French protectorate period. It also seeks to highlight the unique features of this model from architectural and urban perspectives. The research methodology is based on bibliographic work, incorporating historical, descriptive, and analytical approaches. The old city of Marrakech embodies a radial, center-focused organization, consisting of main passages and a network of narrow alleys. The city is surrounded by walls with gates, and in its heart, it houses the great mosque of Ibn Yusuf and the markets. The urban fabric is characterized by a sequence of architectural forms: the dar (house) and riyad, the darb, and the neighborhood. The latter forms a homogeneous and integrated sector due to its facilities. Neighborhoods can be classified according to their distance from the city center, with central, intermediary, and marginal neighborhoods, in addition to the southern complex. The Islamic Arab city of Marrakech is divided into areas permitted and accessible to foreigners (roads, squares, markets, and fondouks) and other areas prohibited and restricted to them (houses, riyads, mosques, and religious schools). Marrakech was able to maintain the model of the Islamic Arab city, which underwent varying urban dynamics depending on the ruling powers. It alternated between periods of prosperity and development and times of decline and destruction.