UMAYYAD RAMLEH: URBAN RENEWAL IN PALESTINE — GEO-HISTORICAL ASPECTS / רמלה האמיית — חידוש עירוני בארץ-ישראל — היבטים גאוגרפיים-היסטוריים

At the beginning of the eighth century, Ramleh was established as a Muslim town that would serve as the capital of the province of Filastin. The location of the new capital was advantageous for the administration of the province and of the entire Muslim empire. It was modelled upon the Roman towns that existed in the area prior to the Muslim conquest. The study of the geographic/historic/urban aspects of Ramleh also deals with such elements as its commercial nature, its uniqueness as a Muslim city with a mosque, and the various social and cultural influences exerted by the Muslim population and Muslim administration on its development. Ramleh was established for practical reasons, based on a correct evaluation of the optimal location of an administrative capital within the geographical region of Filastin. Beyond these practical issues, one cannot truly understand the city without recognizing the contribution of the individual who contributed most to its construction, namely, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik who left his personal imprint on the landscape of Eretz Israel.