Gaza is not only living through an ongoing genocide since 2023—it is also enduring a much longer history of colonization, dispossession, and erasure dating back to the Nakba in 1948. This episode explores Gaza through the lens of its architectural heritage: a deep, intimate bond between people and homeland.
Once a vibrant crossroads of civilizations, Gaza witnessed modern urban planning as early as the 1920s, boasted seven cinemas, and experienced a true architectural golden age under the Mamluks, known for their distinctive buildings and unique hamams. Yet decades of conflict, occupation, blockade, and isolation have severed the city from its geographic and human reality.
Today, its heritage is being wiped out at an unprecedented scale. As of October 2025, UNESCO has documented damage to 114 cultural sites—from religious monuments to historic homes and archaeological treasures.
In response, Palestinians have launched a digital Gaza Historical Legacy Museum, preserving what can still be saved and imagining a future where this museum will one day stand in Gaza itself.
This episode is an invitation to remember, witness, and resist forgetting.
Thanks for listening, take care,
Umut <3