Religious architecture as an instrument for urban renewal: two religious complexes from the Saadian period in Marrakesh

When Saadians consolidated their power in the al-Maghrib al-Aqṣà and established their capital in Marrakesh, the sultan ʿAbdallāh al-Gālib (1557–1574) spearheaded one of the most splendorous periods of the dynasty. He undertook a series of projects to renew the city and equip it with new facilities, after a century of decline and falling behind other centres. Among the works carried out by this sultan were the reorganization of the city and the construction of infrastructures and monumental buildings that became features in the urban landscape. This paper outlines all of the known works that were part of ʿAbdallāh's project with the aim of highlighting the historical relevance of his reign. It focuses on two religious complexes located in the city that replicate the same architectural model and the same layout in their urban contexts. In both cases, the designs of the complexes and their relationship with their surroundings is studied, allowing the assessment of the impact of their construction on the urban landscape and the development of the city.This article is part of the research project HAR2014-53006-P, “Arquitectura saadí: la pervivencia de al-Andalus en el Magreb”, funded by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Programa Estatal de Fomento de la Investigación Científica y Técnica de Excelencia, with support from the European Union FEDER progra