Remains of ottoman buildings in the city of al-Ludd

The location of the city of al-Ludd, between the lowlands and the coastal plain, made it an attractive settlement site through the ages. This location brought with it, on the one hand, a fertile catchment area and on the other, caravans looking for a safe inland route. The last settlement phase that resulted in the medieval town was extant until the mid-twentieth century, whence it was demolished leaving only a dozen buildings standing. Those remains are the starting point for this study in which we discuss topics such as shrines, sheikhs' tombs, the soap industry and public bath, presented here as part of a preliminary survey that lays the ground for further discussion of the town's urban dynamics.