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A kasbah (, also ; ar, قَـصَـبَـة, qaṣaba, lit=fortress, , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a
fortress A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city. It is also equivalent to the term ''alcazaba'' in Spanish (), which derives from the same Arabic word. By extension, the term can also refer to a medina quarter, particularly in Algeria. In various languages, the Arabic word, or local words borrowed from the Arabic word, can also refer to a settlement, a fort, a watchtower, or a
blockhouse A blockhouse is a small fortification, usually consisting of one or more rooms with loopholes, allowing its defenders to fire in various directions. It is usually an isolated fort in the form of a single building, serving as a defensive stro ...
.


Citadel or fortress

The term ''qasaba'' was historically flexible but it essentially denotes a fortress, commonly a citadel that protects a city or settlement area, or that serves as the administrative center. A kasbah citadel typically housed the military garrison and other privileged buildings such as a palace, along with other amenities such as a mosque and a hammam (bathhouse). Some kasbahs are built in a strategic elevated position overlooking the city, like the Kasbah of the Oudayas in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
, Morocco, or the Alcazaba of Málaga in Spain. It could also be a large purpose-built royal quarter, protected by its own set of walls, that housed the palace of the ruler and the administration of the state. Examples of this include the Kasbah of Marrakesh and the Kasbah of Tunis, both founded by the
Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fo ...
, who built or redeveloped similar palace enclosures in many important cities of their empire. In some cases, kasbahs could be simple fortified enclosures around a city that housed military garrisons, without being the main citadel. In
Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
, for example, there were up to 13 kasbahs built throughout the city in different periods, including the Kasbah an-Nouar and the Kasbah Cherarda. According to architect and restorer Leopoldo Torres Balbás, the Alcazaba of Málaga is the prototype of military architecture in the Taifa period in Al-Andalus, with its double wall and many fortifications. Its only parallel is the castle of Krak des Chevaliers in
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
. Examples of other ''alcazabas'' in Spain include the
Alcazaba of Almería The Alcazaba of Almería is a fortified complex in Almería, southern Spain. The word ''alcazaba'', from the Arabic word (; '' ''), signifies a walled fortification in a city. History In 955, Almería was given the title of ''medina'' ("city") b ...
, the Alcazaba of
Antequera Antequera () is a city and municipality in the Comarca de Antequera, province of Málaga, part of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia. It is known as "the heart of Andalusia" (''el corazón de Andalucía'') because of its central locat ...
, the
Alcazaba of Badajoz The Alcazaba of Badajoz is an ancient Moorish citadel in Badajoz, Extremadura, western Spain. The alcazaba as it now appears was built by the Almohads in the 12th century, although it probably existed from the 9th century, when Badajoz was founde ...
, the Alcazaba of Guadix, the
Alcazaba of Mérida The Alcazaba of Mérida is a ninth-century Alcazaba, Muslim fortification in Mérida, Spain, Mérida, Spain. Like other historical edifices in the city, it is part of the UNESCO Heritage List. Located near the Roman bridge over the Guadiana ri ...
, the
Castle of Molina de Aragón The Castle of Molina de Aragón (also called ''alcázar'' or '' alcazaba'') is a fortification in Molina de Aragón, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It was declared ''Bien de Interés Cultural'' in 1931. It is located on a hill commanding the surroun ...
, the Alcazaba of Alcalá la Real and in the
Alcazaba of the Alhambra The Alcazaba (; ) is a fortress at the western tip of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Its name comes from the Arabic term ''al-qaṣabah'' ('the citadel' or kasbah), which became ''Alcazaba'' in Spanish. It is the oldest surviving part of the Al ...
in
Granada Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
. In Morocco, the term "kasbah" is also used in predominantly Amazigh regions to denote a fortified residence (''tighremt'' in
Amazigh languages The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight,, ber, label=Tuareg Tifinagh, ⵜⵎⵣⵗⵜ, ) are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related languages spoken by Berber commun ...
), often built of
mudbrick A mudbrick or mud-brick is an air-dried brick, made of a mixture of loam, mud, sand and water mixed with a binding material such as rice husks or straw. Mudbricks are known from 9000 BCE, though since 4000 BCE, bricks have also bee ...
, such as the Kasbah of Telouet or the Kasbah Amridil. In southern Tunisia, the term is sometimes applied to some fortified granaries (also known as '' ksour'').


Other uses of the term


Old city

The word ''kasbah'' may also be used to describe the old part of a city, in which case it has the same meaning as a medina quarter. In
Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
, the name ''qasaba'' originally referred to the upper part of the city which contained the citadel and residence of the rulers. Following the French conquest of the country in 1830, most of the historic lower town of Algiers was demolished and remodeled along European lines. The only part of the old city that remained relatively untouched was the upper town, thus known as the "Casbah" of Algiers. The Casbah of Dellys is another example of the term being used for an old city.


Settlement

In Turkish and Urdu the word ''kasaba'' refers to a settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city; in short, a town. In Serbo-Croatian, ''kasaba'' (Cyrillic: ) means an undeveloped, provincial small town. In India, a qasbah is a small town distinguished by the presence of Muslim families of rank.


Watchtowers in the Arabian Peninsula

In the
Al-Bahah Al Bahah ( ar, ٱلْبَاحَة, ') is a city in the Hejazi area of western Saudi Arabia. It is the capital of Al Bahah Region, and is one of the Kingdom's prime tourist attractions. It enjoys a pleasant climate and is surrounded by more than f ...
and
Asir The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is ...
provinces of Saudi Arabia and in Yemen, the word ''qasaba'' can refer to a single stone-built tower, either as part of a tower house or a tower isolated on a hilltop or commanding a field. The '' Encyclopædia Britannica'' article on
Asir The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is ...
(southwestern province of Saudi Arabia), mentions that "ancient ''qasaba'' ("towers") found in the province were used as lookouts or granaries." Another book describes these towers as follows: "Apparently unique to Asir architecture are the qasaba towers. Controversy surrounds their function – some argue that they were built as lookouts, and others that they were
keep A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
s, or even granaries. Perhaps it is a combination, although the right position of a watchtower, on a hill top, is the wrong place for a keep or granary."Mostyn, Trevor (1983): ''Saudi Arabia: A MEED Practical Guide''. London: Middle East Economic Digest, 2nd ed., p. 320. Archaeologists have found images of similar towers in the ruins of
Qaryat al-Fāw Qaryat Al Faw ( ar, قرية الفاو) was the capital of the first Kindah kingdom. It is located about 100 km south of Wadi ad-Dawasir, and about 700 km southwest of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, off ...
, in the
Rub' al Khali The Rub' al KhaliOther standardized transliterations include: / . The ' is the assimilated Arabic definite article, ', which can also be transliterated as '. (; ar, ٱلرُّبْع ٱلْخَالِي (), the "Empty Quarter") is the sand des ...
of Saudi Arabia, that date from between the 3rd century BCE to the 4th century CE. "Homes rose two stories, supported by stone walls nearly two meters (6') thick and boasting such amenities as water-supply systems and second-floor latrines. One eye-catching mural faintly depicts a multi-story tower house with figures in the windows: Its design resembles similar dwellings today in Yemen and southern Saudi Arabia." "Most of the qasabas have a circular plan, although some are square. Sometimes they have a band of quartz stones just below the windows or framing the windows – one well preserved example is at the top of Wadi Ain. The remains of a martello tower-like stone structure are just off the dirt track north of Al-Masnah. It appears to be an interesting antecedent of the
Asir The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is ...
farmhouse and perhaps closely related to the qasaba. It is in ruins now, but was once a dwelling and is strongly defensive." One account says about a traditional village in Al-Bahah, Saudi Arabia: "Even the road that leads to the village is impressive, and several historical stone and slate towers dot the way. Al-Bahah Province is known as the region of 1001 towers, once built to protect villages, roads and plantations from rivalling tribes. Today, these towers are abandoned, and many of them are partially or completely in ruins.""Marble Village of Dhee Ayn".
/ref>


See also

* Ribat *
Rock the Casbah "Rock the Casbah" is a song by the English punk rock band The Clash, released in 1982. The song was released as the second single from their fifth album, ''Combat Rock''. It reached number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the US (t ...
– popular 1982 song by The Clash which features the word "Casbah"


References

{{Castles in Saudi Arabia Arab culture Arabic fortifications Castles by type Former towers Forts in Saudi Arabia Islamic architecture Maghreb Medieval defences Towers in Saudi Arabia Castles in Saudi Arabia