Tinmel

Tinmel (also Tin Mal) is a small mountainous village in the High Atlas at 100 km of Marrakech, Morocco. It is considered the cradle of the Almohad empire [cite book |last=Hoffmann |first=Eleanor |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Realm of the Evening Star: A History of Morocco and the Lands of the Moors |year=1965 |month= |publisher=Chilton Books |location= |language=English |isbn= ] from where they started their military campaigns against the Almoravids in early 12th century. [cite book |last=André Julien |first=Charles |title=History of North Africa: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco: From the Arab Conquest to 1830 |year=1970 |publisher=Praeger |language=Translation of v. 2 of Histoire de l'Afrique du Nord: De la conquête arabe à 1830. |isbn= ]

History

With the seizure of Marrakech in 1147, Tinmel became the spiritual capital and the artistic centre of the Almohad empire. The village is home of the tombs of the Almohad rulers. In Tinmel the Almohad dirham, symbol of its economic prosperity, was struck. [http://grifterrec.com/coins/islam/muwahhid.html (accessed 12-07-2007)]

Tinmel mosque

It was built in 1156 to commemorate the founder of the dynasty, Mohamed Ibn Tumart. It is one of the two mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims, the other being the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. The prototype for the Tinmel mosque was the Great Mosque of Taza (near Fès), also built by Abd al-Mu'min. The Koutoubia was in its turn modelled on it.

Decline

Today, there remain only ruins of the wall which surrounded the city and those of the large mosque. Tinmel occupies however a paramount place in the history of Morocco and the Maghreb.

References