The Koutoubia Minaret: A Tower Over Marrakech

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Koutoubia Minaret, the iconic 12th-century tower that has watched over Marrakech for nearly nine centuries. Built by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min after his conquest of the city, the minaret is a masterpiece of Almohad architecture and a symbol of their empire. Lucas explains how the tower's design, with its seven-story shaft and intricate sebka patterns, influenced later buildings like the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. He also recounts the legend of the 'golden orbs' that once topped the minaret, and how the Almohads' obsession with symmetry led to the demolition of an earlier mosque. Along the way, they touch on the minaret's role in the call to prayer (adhan), its restoration under the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail, and the modern debates over preserving the structure against the pressures of tourism. The episode weaves in the broader context of Almohad power, the link between Marrakech and Seville, and the enduring legacy of a tower that still dominates the city's skyline. #Koutoubia #Minaret #Marrakech #Almohad #AbdAlMumin #Giralda #HassanTower #Almoravid #MoulayIsmail #Alaouite #IslamicArchitecture #Sebka #Adhan #Morocco #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo