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Koutoubia MosqueCity/Region: Marrakech
Towering over the labyrinthine streets and markets of Marrakech is the city's principal landmark, the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, known as the 'mosque of the booksellers' because of the bazaar of the book traders that used to be nearby. The red stone mosque was first built in 1147, but demolished and rebuilt in 1199 because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca. The mosque, basically a massive prayer hall, has 17 aisles and 112 columns, and room for thousands to pray within it.
The ornately carved minbar (pulpit) is believed to have been a gift from the Almoravid Sultan Ali ben Youssef. The landmark minaret is 221ft (69m) high and consists of six chambers one atop the other, ascended by a ramp through which the muezzin ascends to the top balcony. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims, but the area around is a favorite place for an evening stroll.
Admission: Free (gardens)
Djemaa el-FnaCity/Region: Marrakech
What it lacks in beauty, the large town square of Marrakech, Djemaa el-Fna (Square of the Dead) makes up for in pulsating liveliness that belies its name. Every day the square is a colorful circus of performing artists where snake charmers, musicians, storytellers and healers vie with each other to be noticed by the milling crowds; every evening food stalls take over and the competition is fierce among them for the passing trade, offering anything from boiled snails and sheep's heads to thick vegetable soup, kebabs or fresh salads. Freshly squeezed orange juice stalls stand side by side encircling the market and offer a refreshing drink both day and night. The square is a fascinating place to sit awhile at one of the surrounding cafes, watching the swirling parade. The square is also the gateway to the souks (bazaars) of Marrakech, tucked away in the surrounding labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys. It is easy to lose your way, but well worth exploring the plethora of craftsmen offering their wares. Bargain for anything from water mugs and dates to exotic Moroccan carpets. The souks are also well shaded from the searing Moroccan sun and therefore provide a respite from the heat.
Dar Si Saïd MuseumCity/Region: Marrakech
The Museum, housed in a palace on the Riad Ezzitoun El Jadid, depicts the arts, crafts and culture of the Berber people, including displays of some Moorish cedarwood furniture, and artifacts from every day life in the Sahara desert. There is also a collection of door and window frames, elaborately carved and ornamented, in the museum courtyard.
Address: Riad Ezzitoun El Jadid
Phone Number: (044) 442 464
Hours: Daily 8.30am to 11.45am; and 2.30pm to 5.45pm; closed Tuesdays
Admission: 10 dirhams
Saadian TombsCity/Region: Marrakech
The beautiful necropolis was built by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed el Mansour in the late 16th century as a final resting place for himself and his successors. There are 66 indoor tombs, lavishly decorated with colorful, intricate mosaics. The central mausoleum, the Hall of the Twelve Columns, is exceptionally ornate with a high vaulted roof, furnished with stunning carved cedar panels and columns of grey Italian marble.
Address: Rue de la Kasbah near the city walls in the old city, beneath the minaret of the Kasbah mosque
Hours: Wednesday to Monday, 8am to 12pm and 2.30pm to 6pm
Admission: 10 dirhams
OukaimedenCity/Region: Marrakech
A ski resort in the desert! Indeed, thick snow envelops the Jebal Oukaimeden mountain peak during the winter months (usually January and February), just a 46-mile (74km) drive from Marrakech. The town of Oukaimeden, which can be reached by taxi or self-drive car, is well equipped for the skiers that seek restaurants, ski equipment to rent, and comfortable hotels, set in lush greenery backed by blue mountains. Skiers can ascend the mountain by donkey or camel, but there are also modern ski lifts.
OuirganeCity/Region: Marrakech
The village of Ouirgane, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains about 90 minutes drive from Marrakech, stands at the center of a popular resort area, where summers are cooler and winters less harsh than those experienced in the city. The surrounding Berber countryside offers picturesque villages and hamlets to explore, set in forests full of wildlife and groves of fruit trees, alongside streams cascading down from the High Atlas Mountains and fields of wild flowers. The area is also known for its extraordinarily beautiful rose gardens.
Karaouine MosqueCity/Region: Fez
Non-Muslims may not enter this huge mosque, in the heart of the Fes El Bali (Medina), which has been a center of Islamic learning for more than a thousand years, but often the doors stand open and it is certainly worth taking a look inside. The mosque is surrounded by numerous madrasas (Islamic schools), many of which are open to the public. The most famous of these is the Attarin Madrasa, built in the early 14th century, which features a beautiful bronze door and elegant courtyard with some impressive marble, alabaster and cedar wood decoration.
Address: Medina
TanneriesCity/Region: Fez
Morocco is famous for producing high quality soft leather. It is recommended that only those with strong stomachs visit the tanner's quarter, close to the Karaouine Mosque, which despite its odorous reputation has become one of Fezs' main attractions. Visitors can ascend to any one of the terraces belonging to the surrounding leather shops that look down on the fascinating tanners' yard, honeycombed with vats of dye and piled with skins (it is expected that you will at least look around the shop afterwards, and if nothing is bought a tip to the shop owner is required). The reason for the bad smell is chiefly because guano and pigeon droppings are used as part of the curing process.
Address: Bab Debbagh (Tannery Gate)
Hours: Daily 9am to 6pm
Fez City GatesCity/Region: Fez
There are several gates allowing entry to the ancient town of Fez: Bab Bou Jeloud, the western gate has bright decorations and hotels and cafes grouped around it; Bab Er Rsif is the central gate, opening onto the square in front of the mosque of the same name; Bab el-Ftouh is the southeast gate giving onto the cemeteries; and Bab Guissa, the north gate, lies on the hillside close to the Merenid tombs vantage point. The principal entrance for tourists is the Bab Bou Jeloud, which was constructed in the modern era in 1913 but appears deceptively older with its tiled facade.
Zaouia Moulay Idriss IICity/Region: Fez
The shrine that houses the remains of the founder of the city of Fez, Moulay Idriss II, is one of the holiest buildings in the city, enclosed in the depths of the old city. Non-Muslims may not enter the imposing building, but it is possible to see inside and glimpse the saint's tomb, which is the subject of a constant devotional ritual by a group of women who burn candles and incense and make offerings.
Kasbah des OudaïasCity/Region: Rabat
An airy 'village within the city', the Kasbah is a pleasant place to take a stroll to admire some interesting architecture and see some sights. The Kasbah was the Alhomad citadel of medieval Rabat, and is guarded by an impressive arched gate built around 1195. Inside the Kasbah is the palace and Andalucian gardens, as well as a broad terrace, which gives beautiful views of the river and sea close to the city's oldest mosque, the Kasbah Mosque, founded in 1050. Below the terrace are several fortifications with gun emplacements guarding the estuary, and even further below is a beach, usually crowded with local people.
Address: Kasbah des Oudaias
Phone Number: (0)7 73 15 37
Palace Museum and GardensCity/Region: Rabat
The Palace in the Kasbah on the Rue Bazzo dates from the 17th century and was built by Moulay Ismail after he subdued the pirate republic of Rabat and took over the Kasbah as a garrison for the Oudaias, a Saharan tribe who formed the bulk of his mercenary army. Today the palace, a beautiful classic building, houses the Museum of Moroccan Arts featuring exhibits such as Berber jewelry, costumes and local carpets. The palace grounds contain the beautiful Andalucian Gardens with their sunken shrubberies and flowerbeds, bougainvillea and fragrant herbs.
Hours: Daily 9am to 12pm, and 3pm to 5.30pm; closed Tuesdays
The Citadel of ChellahCity/Region: Rabat
Emerging from the boulevards of the Ville Nouvelle (New Town) of Rabat one comes across the ruins of Chellah, once the thriving walled Roman port city of Sala Colonia, abandoned in 1154 in favor of Sale across the other side of the river mouth. In the time of the Almohads the site was used as a royal burial ground. The Merenid Sultan Abou El Hassan added some monuments and the striking main gate during his reign in the mid-14th century. Just inside the gate are the Roman ruins dating from 200 BC, which includes a forum, a temple and a craftsmen's quarter.
Hassan MosqueCity/Region: Rabat
The massive minaret of the Hassan Mosque, dating from 1195, towers over Rabat, although the huge mosque itself was never entirely completed and was largely destroyed in an earthquake in 1755. The minaret is unusually sited at the center of the mosque building, and was intended to be 262ft (80m) high, though it stands today at 164ft (50m). Each façade of the minaret is intricately patterned with different motifs on each face. Opposite the Hassan Mosque is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, one of the great monuments of modern Morocco, inaugurated in 1967. The deceased king lies entombed in white onyx, surrounded by royal guards, and hundreds of Moroccans pay homage by filing through the mausoleum each day.
MedinaCity/Region: Rabat
Rabat's Medina, or old city, was created by Andalucian Muslim refugees from Badajoz in Spain, and was essentially all there was to the city until the arrival of the French in 1912 and the subsequent building of the Ville Nouvelle or new quarter. The Medina is small and not as interesting or attractive as the old city sections of Fez or Marrakech, however the foundouks (traditional cafes) and shops make for a lively atmosphere. Souika Street is the main artery through the Medina, where you will find the leather sellers at the Sebbat souk (footwear bazaar). In Consules Street shops sell curiosities, souvenirs and Moroccan craft items such as copper and embroidery and the famed Rabat carpets.
Archaeological MuseumCity/Region: Rabat
An exceptional collection of Roman bronzes dating from the first and second centuries and recovered from the site at Volubilis, takes pride of place at Rabat's Archaeological Museum. Other artifacts unearthed at sites of Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman settlements around Morocco are displayed on the two floors of the museum.
Address: 23 Rue Brihi, Ville Nouvelle
Phone Number: (0)7 70 19 19
Hours: Daily 9am to 11.30am, and 2.30pm to 5.30pm; closed Tuesdays
VolubilisCity/Region: Rabat
Volubilis, near the Moroccan town of Meknes sited between Rabat and Fez, was a central Roman administrative city in Africa from around the third century BC, built atop a previous Carthaginian city. Volubilis was unique in that it was not abandoned after the Romans lost North Africa to the Arabs and even the Latin language lived on in the area for several centuries. Volubilis remained inhabited until the 18th century, when it was demolished to provide building materials for the palaces of Moulay Ismail in nearby Meknes, which meant that a great deal of the Roman architectural heritage was lost. Today the ruins consist of some well-preserved columns, a basilica, a triumphal arch and about 30 high quality mosaics.
Admission: 20 dirhams
CasablancaCity/Region: Rabat
The huge city of Casablanca is a busy fast-growing port with a European character. The population explosion, brought about chiefly by immigration from the countryside, has brought some social problems like crime and prostitution, and resulted in the proliferation of shantytowns. The gap between the haves and the have-nots in Casablanca may be wide, but the city center is impressive and modern, with wide avenues and well-kept skyscrapers. The people too are modern and there is little sign of traditional dress and modestly scarved women. The old city area is small, but like the medina of all Moroccan cities it serves as a bazaar venue. The canny shopkeepers, however, ensure that there are few bargains to be had here. The main attraction is the elaborately decorated Hassan II Mosque, the third largest religious monument in the world, perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Although beautifully and traditionally adorned the mosque also has high-tech features like a sliding roof and under-floor heating.
TemaraCity/Region: Rabat
The seaside town of Temara, about eight miles (13km) from Rabat, is a favorite weekend picnic spot and campsite for city dwellers. The beach has several stretches of sand, some good hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. Temara also sports a zoo and several other leisure facilities.
Grand SoccoCity/Region: Tangier
The word 'socco' is the Spanish version of 'souk', or market, which has stuck to this square in the heart of Tangier because of its Spanish heritage. The square is, however, no longer a marketplace, but rather a city crossroads and huge taxi rank, fronted by cafes, outside the walled in, old part of the city. The Grand Socco has developed something of a reputation for being a meeting place for criminals and drug dealers, but it is still an interesting spot to spend time watching the passing parade and the Rif women in colorful traditional costume touting vegetables and fresh mint. It is also the jumping off point for entry to the medina, and for admiring the luxurious Mendoubia Gardens on the north side, and the mosaic-studded minaret of the Sidi Bou Abid Mosque to the west.
Tangier American Legation MuseumCity/Region: Tangier
In the midst of the old medina in Tangier, America has provided a thriving cultural center, museum, conference venue and library in the only historic landmark of the United States that is located abroad. The American Legation Museum is housed in the American Embassy, established in Tangier back in 1777 when Morocco became the first power that recognized the United States of America as an independent country. The museum houses art collections and restored rooms. Guided tours are offered.
Address: 8 Zankat America
Phone Number: (039) 93 53 17
Website: www.legation.org
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm
Admission: Free
KasbahCity/Region: Tangier
Tangier's 17th century fortified residential quarter, or Kasbah, is a place of arcades, winding alleys and hidden terraces, where it is possible to wander among the wealthy homes and sometimes manage a peep behind the unprepossessing facades, enjoying views of the medina and the bay. The Kasbah mosque features an interesting octagonal minaret, and stands in the mechovar (parade ground). Visitors are welcomed at the Sultan's Gardens in the Rue Riad Sultan to the north of the mechovar, where they can watch local craftsmen at work and sit awhile on the terrace of the Moorish café Le Detroit. On a clear day it is possible to see the Spanish city of Tarifa about 18 miles (30km) away.
Dar el MakhzenCity/Region: Tangier
A collection of art from all over Morocco is housed in the imposing Dar el Makhzen, the former Sultan's palace dating from the 17th century, which dominates the Tangier kasbah. The art collections are sited in the prince's apartments, which are breathtaking with their frescoed ceilings, sculptured plasterwork and intricate mosaics. The art on display has been assembled from all regions of Morocco, and includes firearms decorated with marquetry; pottery; carpets from Rabat; silks; and bound manuscripts from Fez. The Dar el Makhzen palace is home, too, to a fascinating museum of antiquities relating to Morocco's pre-history, gathered from sites such as Lixus, Cotta and Volubilis. The museum includes a life-sized model of a Carthaginian tomb, and a reproduction of an ancient necropolis, which is sited in a peaceful Andalusian garden.
Address: Place de la Kasbah
Phone Number: (0)9 93 20 97
Admission: 10 dirhams
Forbes MuseumCity/Region: Tangier
Tangier boasts many beautiful palatial residences of varying styles and variety in its Marshan villa district, about 15 minutes walk from the medina. One of the most attractive of these is on the Rue Muhammed Tazi, and used to belong to United States multi-millionaire media magnate, Malcolm Forbes. The house is open to the public and contains Forbes' collection of miniature soldiers, about 8,000 of them!
Address: Palais Mendoub, rue Shakespeare
Phone Number: (0)9 93 36 06
Hours: Daily from 10am to 5pm
ChefchaouenCity/Region: Tangier
This beautiful medieval town, a short drive from Tangier in the mountain region, has a distinctive Spanish character, having been settled by Spanish refugees in the middle ages. The medina of the town has become renowned as one of the most charming in Morocco, with whitewashed gabled houses and blue-rinsed buildings where craftsmen sit contentedly in their shops sewing caftans and embroidering jellabahs. The medina is dominated by a 17th-century Great Mosque, which fronts a picturesque square dotted with mulberry trees and inviting restaurants. The square is surrounded by souks selling carpets, leather goods, pottery and copper ware.
AsilahCity/Region: Tangier
The fishing village of Asilah, south of Tangier, has become a popular seaside resort because of its nearby Paradise Beach, relaxing ambience, and picturesque 15th century Andalusian medina, which extends to the sea wall. The town is small enough to explore on foot (donkey carts are also a fun option) and is renowned for its restaurants specializing in seafood. It is accessible from Tangier by train, which makes it a popular spot for young tourists to recuperate after seeing the sights of the city.
Kalaa (Hiking in the Rif Mountains)City/Region: Tangier
Hiding in the hills outside the already tranquil town of Chefchaouen is the rarely reached village of Kalaa. From here one can relax in the remote serenity of rural Moroccan life that has changed little over the centuries. The village is also a wonderful base for exploring the Rif Mountains and hikes can be arranged to other local villages in the area and all the way to the Mediterranean. As tourism increases more villagers are opening their doors to the trade and new guest houses are springing up in the area. The easiest way to reach Kalaa is to ask one of the friendly locals in Chefchaouen.
Phone Number: (0)69 782 490 (Muhammed Modnen)
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