Publication Date
6th century AH / 12th century AD; 12th century AH / 17th century AD
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;ma;Mon01;6;ar
Library Location
At the mouth of the Bouregreg River, opposite the city of Salé, Rabat, Morocco
Date
6th century AH / 12th century AD; 12th century AH / 17th century AD
Notes
The Kasbah of Ouadiya derived its name from an Arab tribe that resided in southern Morocco during the 12th century AH / 18th century AD. The Alaouite Sultan, Mawla Ismail, (r. 1083-1139 AH / 1672-1727 AD) recruited from among its members a part of his army, of which he placed military units within a military garrison in Rabat, for the purpose of defending it against some tribes. The first Ribat that was built on the site was mentioned by the geographer Ibn Hawqal in the year 366 AH / 977 AD, who confirms that it could accommodate one hundred thousand fighters. In the year 534 AH / 1140 AD, the Almoravids built a kasbah to confront the threat of the Almohads, who besieged it and destroyed it, only to rebuild it again in the year 544 AH / 1150 AD. AD, after they seized power, adding a palace and a mosque to it, and naming it Mahdia, after their spiritual leader, Mahdi Ibn Tumart. After the death of Yaqub al-Mansur in 595 AH / 1199 AD, and the abandonment of the project for the new capital of Rabat al-Fath, the population abandoned the Kasbah and the latter was desolate. It was necessary to wait until the 11th century AH / 17th century AD, to The Kasbah regained new vitality with the arrival of several thousand Moriscos expelled from Spain, who resided there for half a century, a kind of “independent republic”, which gained widespread fame as a stronghold for pirates. The Kasbah of the Ouadiyas currently consists of an upper part founded by the Almohads, and a lower part founded by the Alawites. The Almohad wall, which surrounds the Kasbah and which is 2.50 meters wide and 8 to 10 meters high, was built. It is made of rubble stone, and is surrounded by a sloping public square where some old cannons are located. The Great Gate was built by Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur on a hill overlooking the city. The door consists of an arch of red ocher carved stone, surrounded by a pendant, and carries a repeated carved decoration on the interior façade, while a Kufic inscription surrounds the two corners of the arch. At the origin of the arches, decorated with floral wreaths, there are serpentine motifs that constitute a rare element within Moroccan decoration. This door leads to three square halls in a row and separated from each other by steps. The first hall is surmounted by a dome supported by corner arches, the second is covered by a dome based on spherical triangles, and the third is covered by a cylindrical vault. A large door and a small door lead into the castle, while a staircase in the depth leads to the roof. Inside the Kasbah is the oldest mosque in Rabat, called the Old Mosque (544 AH / 1150 AD), whose minaret was restored by an Englishman who converted to Islam, named Ahmed Al-Inglisi. The princely pavilion, which was built by Mawla Ismail, also currently houses a museum of traditional arts. During the 12th century AH / 17th century AD, a building, warehouses, and a defensive tower (the Pirate Tower) were added to the Kasbah, the cannons of which were directed towards the river and towards the city of Salé.
Sample Text
Kamal Lakhdar “Kasbah of the Udayas” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;ma;Mon01;6;ar
