Andalusi cities in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (11th-13th centuries): urban evolution and spatial dynamics

Abstract

The historiography of Andalusi urbanism has traditionally focused on isolated elements or specific periods, thereby hindering an appreciation of urban development as a dynamic, multifactorial process. This article presents a comparative analysis of the evolution of urban development in seven cities of the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula —Almería, Cartagena, Murcia, Elche, Alicante, Denia, and Valencia— from their urban flourishing in the mid-11th century to the mid-13th century. Through a critical review of the archaeological evidence documented over the last four decades, the distribution and interrelation of the principal urban spaces are mapped and examined. The identification of spatial patterns linked to defined historical phases demonstrates how economic, political, and social changes shaped and reshaped these urban centers, providing an integrated perspective on their growth dynamics and adaptation to the territorial context.