Arab Cities in the Ottoman Period

Book excerpt: 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 author’s work has played a significant role, aiming to re-examine the traditional Orientalist view of ’Muslim cities’. 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.