The Space Occupied by Marketplaces and their Societies in the Islamic World—with Particular Reference to Isfahan and Istanbul 1

Urban studies that have sought to explain the cities of the Islamic world have often been discussed within the framework of the “Islamic city” concept (Marcais, G.1913, 1946; Marcais, W. 1928; Pauty 1951; von Grunebaum 1955; de Planhol 1959). According to this concept, Islam is an essentially “urban religion” conforming to urban life and regulating its societies, and is thus considered to be the prime definer of the city form. To explain urban morphologies and structuring principles, an Islamic city model—where the congregational (Friday) mosque forms the city’s central core, with the market, the religious school, and the public bathhouse surrounding it—has been widely used (von Grunebaum 1955; de Planhol 1959).