The Almohad dynasty, established in the High Atlas by the scholar Ibn Toumert, championed a return to the roots of Islam, opposing the Maliki rite practiced by the Almoravides. Overthrowing the Almoravids, they governed the Moroccan empire, spanning North Africa and Spain for a century, with Rabat as their imperial city. The Almohads left an enduring legacy through the vibrant culture they cultivated, leaving behind architectural treasures in Morocco (the Tinmel Mosque, 100 km from Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Hassan Tower in Rabat) and in Spain (the Gold Tower in Seville, now the Maritime Museum, the Giralda in Seville).
