Heritage with Related Tags
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
The Portuguese fortress of Mazagan, now part of the city of El Jadida, is located 90 km southwest of Casablanca and was built in the early 16th century as a fortified settlement on the Atlantic coast. The city was captured by the Moroccans in 1769. The fortress and walls are an early example of Renaissance military design. Surviving Portuguese buildings include the Cistern and the Church of the Assumption, in the Manueline late Gothic style. The Portuguese city of Mazagan was one of the early settlements of Portuguese explorers in West Africa on their way to India and is an outstanding example of the mutual influence of European and Moroccan cultures, well reflected in architecture, technology and town planning.
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex
The square mosque, with a large dome and four slender minarets, is the focal point of the skyline of Edirne, the former Ottoman capital. Sinan, the most famous Ottoman architect of the 16th century, considered the complex his finest work, which includes a madrasah, covered market, clock tower, outer courtyard and library. The interior decoration used Iznik tiles at the height of their powers, proving that the art form remains unrivalled today with this material. The complex is considered the most harmonious expression of the Ottoman külliye, a group of buildings built around a mosque and administered as a single institution.