Arab Cities in the Ottoman Period

Professor Raymond deals here with the evolution of the great Arab cities of the Ottoman period (1516-1800) - with questions of organisation social life and the built space - looking in particular at Aleppo Algiers Constantine and above all at Cairo. These studies form part of a movement in which the authorâs work has played a significant role aiming to re-examine the traditional Orientalist view of âMuslim citiesâ. Contrary to the negative perception one so often finds of decadent and chaotic towns it can be seen that they had a coherent internal structure and that far from being in decline they enjoyed renewed prosperity in the Ottoman era benefiting from the strength of the empire and flourishing Mediterranean trade. This in turn was reflected in the important and original architectural activity of the period. Language: English