Around the world in one podcast

?Journey through the memories of nations. Miss bedtime stories? Well, you’ll love Roh Makan. Narrating nations’ histories, the podcast sheds light on the stories — and secrets — behind some of the world’s most significant landmarks. Produced by Independent Arabia and presented by journalist Redab Nahar, the podcast takes listeners to France’s Palace of Versailles, our very own Giza Pyramids, the US’ Alcatraz prison, Brazil’s Palácio da Alvorada, the Museum of the Revolution in Cuba, the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus… and much more.

An audio documentary. Roh Makan artfully balances documentary narration with dramatic voice acting in short episodes often capped at 15 minutes. Given Nahar’s storytelling prowess, — and a skillfully-written script that summarizes without sacrificing details — the podcast is one you’ll be able to enjoy without boredom settling in.

On the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris: In one particular episode tracing the resilient French icon — a gothic masterpiece and the muse of many artists — Nahar covers all the significant historical events that the cathedral has witnessed over the years. The episode goes through the French revolution, the coronation of Napoleon I, Charles de Gaulle's inauguration, and the tragic 2019 fire — which caused significant damages that required five years of work to restore, before reopening in 2024.

Short and sweet. The podcast is an attempt to discover and dissect various cultures through the stories behind their landmarks. Given its bite-sized episodes and engaging content, we’d highly recommend the classical Arabic language podcast for avid history lovers on the hunt for content that is both engaging and entertaining.