Claire Dillon

The rubble of empire Built by Italian Fascists in 1928, Mogadishu Cathedral was meant to symbolize “peaceful conquest.” Today its ruins force Somalis to confront the uneasy afterlife of colonial power and religious authority.

Feed: "Africa Is a Country"
By: Claire Dillon on Thursday, February 26, 2026

The rubble of empire Built by Italian Fascists in 1928, Mogadishu Cathedral was meant to symbolize “peaceful conquest.” Today its ruins force Somalis to confront the uneasy afterlife of colonial power and religious author...

Built by Italian Fascists in 1928, Mogadishu Cathedral was meant to symbolize “peaceful conquest.” Today its ruins force Somalis to confront the uneasy afterlife of colonial power and religious authority. africasacountry.com/2026/02/the-...

How did a twelfth-century Sicilian cathedral end up in Mogadishu? In this interview, I spoke with art historian Claire Dillon about her archival research into Mogadishu Cathedral and Italian colonial ambition in Somalia.

'How did a twelfth-century Sicilian cathedral end up in Mogadishu?': @faisalahali.bsky.social in discussion with @clairedillon.bsky.social.

Join Hayaan Heritage on February 25, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM EST, to discuss my research on Mediterranean interventions in Mogadishu's built environment. The webinar will be held at this link: meet.google.com/vuz-xrti-eeb

How did a twelfth-century Sicilian cathedral end up in Mogadishu? In this interview, I spoke with art historian Claire Dillon about her archival research into Mogadishu Cathedral and Italian colonial ambition in Somalia.

I’ve long wanted to write about Mogadishu Cathedral, and I had the opportunity to interview @clairedillon.bsky.social, an art historian who has been uncovering fascinating stuff, from its “Arab-Norman” architectural origins to the reasons it was built.

somaliarchive77.substack.com/p/how-did-a-...

It was a pleasure to discuss the Cathedral of Mogadishu with journalist @faisalahali.bsky.social! You can read the interview on Socialist Somalia, and be sure to check out Faisal's other articles about the past century of Somali history.

somaliarchive77.substack.com/p/how-did-a-...

MAA News - Speculum turns 100!

As we celebrate the centennial of Speculum in 2026, we are thrilled to publish Speculations, an ambitious oversized issue featuring more than fifty short articles that highlight possible futures of our field.
www.themedievalacademyblog.org/maa-news-spe...

I'm honored to have contributed to "Speculations," the centennial issue of Speculum! My piece reflects on the cathedral of Mogadishu and what its legacy means for representations and research of Mediterranean connections, especially between Europe and Africa www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

journal cover

Speculum Vol. 101, No. 1 (2026) www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/spc/2026... Speculations: The Centennial Issue @medievalacademy.bsky.social @etreharne.bsky.social @clairedillon.bsky.social @ldevun.bsky.social @estherlcuenca.bsky.social @barbararosenwein.bsky.social @spencerstrub.bsky.social

My research on the Cathedral of Mogadishu was just featured in Geeska! In this interview, we explore how a medieval Sicilian cathedral inspired this Fascist-era monument, the hidden labor that built it, and the myth of “peaceful conquest” that its design embodied:
www.geeska.com/en/claire-di...

In celebration of the @sah1365.bsky.social's fifth annual virtual conference, we've removed the paywall from the current issue of the "Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians." Access it here: online.ucpress.edu/jsah/issue/8...
#SAHVirtual2025

This is excellent research by Claire Dillon and great reading. A fine example of medievalism and modern colonialism between Cefalú, Sicily; Rome; and Mogadishu online.ucpress.edu/jsah/article...

My article about the Cathedral of Mogadishu is free to read and download until October 22: online.ucpress.edu/jsah/article...

In this first comprehensive study of the monument, I argue that its neomedieval design conveys a coercive message of coexistence between the colonizer and the colonized.

You can read about my time at the American Academy in Rome in this recent interview, which covers everything from medieval silk to the archives of modern missionaries, and the connections that are formed when living among designers, makers, and artists.

www.aarome.org/news/feature...