Fez contains many important examples of traditional Moroccan architecture. This architectural style developed during the Islamic period and was part of a wider cultural and artistic complex often referred to as "Moorish" architecture, which characterized the regions of Morocco, al-Andalus (Muslim Spain and Portugal), and parts of present-day Algeria and Tunisia.[1][2][35][4] It blended influences from Berber culture in North Africa, pre-Islamic Spain (Roman, Byzantine, and Visigothic), and contemporary artistic currents in the Islamic Middle East to elaborate a unique style over centuries with recognizable features such as the "Moorish" arch, riad gardens, hypostyle mosques with square-shafted minarets, muqarnas sculpting, and a mix of elaborate geometric, arabesque, and calligraphic motifs in wood, stucco, and tilework (notably zellij).[9][20][36][6]