Kasbah of Qadima

The Kasbah of Qadima (Nemidic: Χασβατ αλΧαδιμ, riadicised Qasbat alQadim [qasˤ.bat al-qa.diːm]), also known simply as The Kasbah, refers to the Citadel of Adatenesis in Nemed, which encloses the Dar alSultan (Δαρ αλΣυλταν) palace complex that has served as the administrative capital of the Nemedian ruling family since the early years of the tenth century. By synecdoche, the term has come to refer to the walled Old Quarter of the city as well. The term Kasbah is also often used as a metonym for the government of the Nemedian State.

Built between 742 and 863 on the ruins of the ancient hilltop town of Qadima, and reconstructed after the devastating Adatenesis Quake of 1488, the fortress and city walls stretch from the top of Tal alQadim, as the hill is called, down toward the Bay of Taqsim. The enclosed area is divided into two distinct districts -- the High City, comprised of the royal palace complex within the walls of the citadel itself, and the Low City, which opens onto the Old Harbor, still protected by its ancient ramparts and gates.

The Dar alSultan palace complex contains over three dozen historically significant structures that are still in regular use today, including seven royal palaces, four baziliki, six madarisi and two Adyri. The Lower City contains over 2,189 historically significant structures, although nearly 300 of those have fallen into ruin due to age, neglect and overcrowding. In 1951, the Kasbah was designated a CoNESCO World Heritage Site, and since that time a major government-funded preservation and restoration effort has resulted in dramatic improvements within the Old City.

Etymology

The word "Kasbah," meaning generally the walled citadel of a city or town, but most commonly referring to the Kasbah of Qadima, is a borrowed word of Nemidic origin.

History

Construction of the citadel began in 742 during the reign of the Bada’win Sultan Khurshid Hanif. Over the next century, the settlement that grew up around the fortress developed into a thriving city, and the ramparts were extended down the slopes of Tal alQadim to the harbor. By 863 the fortifications of the city were completed, including over 100 battlements and seven city gates. In 926, after an extended war with the Nemedians of Al-Khutat, the Bada’win Janub were finally defeated by the Nemedian Emir Umut II (889 – 933), who made the city his capital, renaming it Adatenesis.

The city was destroyed by a great quake in 1488, which leveled the Low City and severely damaged the Citadel complex. During the reign of Alpaslan I (1461 – 1531), known to history as "the Magnificent," the High City was completely rebuilt, and its defenses improved. It was during this major rebuilding period that the splendid palaces, educational facilities and religious edifices we see today were constructed. Alpaslan also oversaw the rebuilding of the Low City and the Harbor. By the end of his reign, the city that had been razed to the ground was once again restored to its former glory.

In the centuries that followed, the city of Adatenesis, with the Kasbah at its heart, continued to develop into the vibrant cultural, political and economic metropolis it is today. Yet despite rapid development and modernization throughout the city, the Kasbah has retained its original architecture and character, resulting in its 1951 designation as a CoNESCO World Heritage Site. Throughout its long history, the Kasbah has continuously served as a major center of political and economic power in the East while steadfastly retaining its historic and cultural identity.

Kasbah of Qadima

Χασβατ αλΧαδιμ

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NATIONAL CAPITAL

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WORLD HERITAGE SITE

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^{Entrance to the Kasbah by Henry Ossawa, 1902}

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^{Image Credit:
Henry Ossawa Tanner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons}