medina
Walled historic district
A medina is the old, historic quarter of a North African or Middle Eastern city, typically characterized by narrow winding streets, traditional markets, and ancient architecture.
The term comes from Arabic for "city" and usually refers to the walled inner core that predates colonial-era development: We spent the afternoon getting lost in the medina of Fez. (Capitalized Medina is the Saudi Arabian city.)
Traditional Arab market
- bazaarOpen-air merchant district
- vendorsThose who sell goods
- stallsDelays or compartments
- hagglingNegotiating a lower price
spices · carpets · leather · metalwork · pottery · textiles · crafts · artisans
City's preserved original section
- walled citySettlement surrounded by fortifications
- historic centerCity's preserved ancient district
- courtyardEnclosed open-air space
- narrow streetsConstricted urban thoroughfares
pedestrian · car-free · ancient · UNESCO · preservation · heritage · quarter · traditional
Islamic house of worship
- minaretMosque tower with balcony
- courtyardEnclosed open-air space
- tilesFlat covering pieces
- geometric patternsArrangements of regular shapes
calligraphy · arabesque · cedarwood · kasbah · gates · ramparts · fortifications
Moroccan imperial city
- TunisNorth African capital city
- CasablancaMajor Moroccan seaport
- tagineEarthenware pot and stew
- mint teaSteeped aromatic leaf drink
Narrow urban passages
- mazePuzzle of passages
- windingCurving repeatedly, sinuous
- twistingRotating with distortion
- narrowOf small width
dead-ends · warren · intricate · disorienting · passages · hidden · meandering · serpentine
souk
Traditional Arab market
haggling · spices · carpets · leather · metalwork · pottery · textiles · crafts · artisans · tanneries
old town
City's preserved original section
- walled citySettlement surrounded by fortifications
- historic centerCity's preserved ancient district
- courtyardEnclosed open-air space
narrow streets · pedestrian · car-free · ancient · UNESCO · preservation · heritage · quarter · traditional · marketplace
mosque
Islamic house of worship
geometric patterns · calligraphy · arabesque · cedarwood · kasbah · gates · ramparts · fortifications
Marrakech
Moroccan imperial city
- TunisNorth African capital city
- CasablancaMajor Moroccan seaport
- tagineEarthenware pot and stew
mint tea · hammam · djellaba · Berber · Maghreb · Morocco · Andalusian
alleyways
Narrow urban passages
narrow · dead-ends · warren · intricate · disorienting · passages · hidden · meandering · serpentine · navigation
- Middle EastIraq, Baghdad, Cairo, Iran, Jordan
- Historic DistrictsFrench Quarter, historic district, Latin Quarter, historic buildings, historic building
- historic placesghost town, old town, ancient city, colonial town, historic district
- exotic placestropical island, desert oasis, ancient ruins, lost city, tropical beach
- North AfricaMorocco, Algeria, Marrakech, Tripoli, Tunis
- desert settlementsdesert town, desert village, desert city, desert outpost, pueblo
medinanew town
Recently established urban area
colonial quarter · suburb · downtown · commercial district · central business district
medinaplanned city
Settlement designed before construction
industrial area · shopping mall · housing project · gated community