Morocco - Medina of Marrakesh

Marrakesh.

Sent by Omar from Tafraoute, Morocco.

The capital of the Almoravids and the Almohads played a decisive role in the development of medieval planning. Marrakesh (which gave its name to the Moroccan Empire) is the textbook example of a large Islamic capital in the Western world. With its maze of narrow streets, houses, souks (markets), traditional crafts and trade activities, and its medina, this ancient settlement is an outstanding example of a vibrant historic city.

Marrakesh was founded in 1071-72 by Youssef ben Tachfin on the site of the camp where Abou Bekr had left him in charge. From that point forward, Marrakesh was no longer an occasional stopping place for the Almoravids. It became the true capital of these conquering nomads who succeeded in stretching their empire from the Sahara to the Ebro and from the Atlantic to Kabylia.

The original layout of the medina dates back to the Almoravid period from which there still remain various monumental vestiges (ruins of the so-called Abou Bekr Kasbah, Youssef ben Tachfin Mosque and Ali ben Youssef Palace, not far from the Koutoubia, the pool and the 'Koubba' of Ali ben Youssef Mosque which were discovered in 1955, Bab Aylan gate, etc.). In essence it is an adaptation of the older urban model of Marrakesh.

The walls of the medina were built in 1126-27 following the order given by Ali ben Youssef. The planting of the palm groves, which at the present still cover a surface area of roughly 13,000 ha to the east of the city, has also been credited to the Almoravids. When in 1147 this dynasty bowed to the attacks of the Almohads led by Abdel Mou'men, the task of purification that was carried out did not spare the monuments which, for the most part, were destroyed by the victors. Nevertheless Marrakesh remained the capital. Under the Almohad rulers (1147-1269), Marrakesh experienced new and unprecedented prosperity.

Between 1147 and 1158, Abd el Mou'men had the Koutoubia Mosque built upon the ruins of the Almoravid foundations. Its incomparable minaret, key monument of Muslim architecture, is one of the major features of the cityscape and is the actual symbol of the city. The ruler's successors, Abou Yacoub Youssef and especially Yacoub el Mansour, were the ones who truly renovated the capital. They built new quarters, extended the city wall, fortified the Kasbah (1185-90) which was a prolongation of the city to the south with its own ramparts and gates (Bab Agnaou, Bab Robb), its mosque, palace, market, hospital, parade-ground and gardens. These leaders strengthened their control over their domains by planting crops (Menara to the west) and by civil engineering achievements, the best known of which are the Tensift Bridge and the kettara network in the palm groves.

The decline of Marrakesh, which began during the conquest of the city by the Merinids in 1269, never went beyond the point of no return, as is illustrated by a number of non-negligible constructions (Ben Salih Mosque and minaret, not long after 1321). The rebirth of the capital under the Saadian rulers (1510-1669) led to a new blossoming of the arts, as borne out by the ruins of the El Badi Palace and the Saadian tombs, whose precious architecture is isolated from the rest of the Kasbah by a wall. Some of the elements making up these refined and sumptuous constructions came from afar, such as the marble columns from Carrara which Montaigne observed being cut in Tuscany 'for the king of Morocco in Berberia'. Also dating back to the Saadian period is the restoration of the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the building of several fountains decorated with gypsum work and woodwork (Mouassine, Chrob ou Chouf and Bab Doukkala Fountains).

Under the reign of the Alawite dynasty, Marrakesh, the temporary capital, was graced with a new mosque,madrasas, palaces and residences harmoniously integrated into the homogeneous unit of the old town, which was surrounded by 10 km of clay and lime and beaten-cob ramparts. Beyond the walls were the great traditional areas of greenery: the palm groves, the Menara and, to the south, the Agdal gardens that were redesigned by Moulay Abd er Rahman (1822-59). (Source)

Morocco - Casablanca - Hassan II Mosque

Hassan II Mosque.

Sent by Omar from Tafraoute, Morocco.

The Hassan II Mosque or Grande Mosquée Hassan II (Arabic: مسجد الحسن الثاني‎; nickname: "Casablanca Hajj" (colloquial, microblogging and social networking language) is a mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. It is the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 metres (689 ft). Completed in 1993, it was designed by Michel Pinseau and built by Bouygues. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca. The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean, the sea bed being visible through the glass floor of the building's hall. The walls are of hand-crafted marble and the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside grounds. (read further)

Morocco - Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)

Essaouira, Morocco.

Sent by Omar from Tafraoute, Morocco.

Essaouira is an outstanding and well-preserved example of a late 18th-century European fortified seaport town translated to a North African context. With the opening up of Morocco to the rest of the world in the later 17th century, the town was laid out by a French architect who had been profoundly influenced by the work of Vauban at Saint-Malo. It has retained its European appearance to a substantial extent.

Since its foundation in the 18th century and until the beginning of the 20th century, Essaouira has played a fundamental role as an international trading port between Morocco and the rest of the world. A number of consulates and traders from different countries were established there. Essaouira is a leading example of building inspired by European architecture, a town unique by virtue of its design: it was created in conformity with a predetermined plan, the Cornut plan. Since the beginning, the medina of Essaouira has been a major place for the peaceable coming together of the architectural and town-planning models of Europe and of Morocco itself. In this way a symbiosis was achieved between building techniques from Morocco and elsewhere that gave birth to some unique architectural masterpieces: the Sqalas of the port and of the medina, the Bab Marrakesh bastion, the water gate, mosques, synagogues, churches, etc.

Archaeological excavations have shown that the site of Essaouira was originally a Phoenician trading settlement, followed by Cretans, Greeks and Romans. The earlier name of Mogador derives from Migdol, meaning a small fort. In 1506 it was to become the site of a Portuguese fortress, but this was abandoned soon after.

The present town dates from 1765, when the Alawite Sultan Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah decided to build a port that would open Morocco up to the outside world and assist in developing commercial relations with Europe. He sought the help of Nicholas Théodore Cornut, a surveyor specialist in military fortifications from Avignon, who was strongly influenced by Vauban's defences at Saint-Malo. He partially dismantled the Portuguese fortress to build an esplanade with a row of cannons. The entire town was enclosed by a defensive wall on the Vauban model. In order to control maritime trade, he closed the southern coast to European traders, obliging the European consuls at Safi, Agadir and Rabat to move to Mogador, where all southern mercantile activities were concentrated. The new port became one of the country's main commercial centres; it was called the 'port of Timbuktu' as it was the destination of caravans bringing a variety of products (including slaves) from black Africa. The town was made up of three separate districts. The kasbah comprised the old administrative district. The medina was crossed by two main axial streets, one running from Bab Doukalla to the harbour and the other from Bab Marrakesh to the sea. At their intersection there were four markets, for fish, spices, grain and general goods respectively.

The Mellah is the Jewish quarter; it played a very important role in the history of the town, as the sultan made use of this community to establish relations with Europe and to organize commercial activities with them. The main features of the town are: the ramparts, most of the northern section of which survives; the town gates, especially the ornamental Sea Gate (1170-71); the bastions and forts (borjs ), especially the Sqala of the Port and the Sqala of the Medina and the Bastion of Bab Marrakesh; the kasbah , which was originally the seat of power and the military garrison, and is now integrated into the town proper; the Mellah (Jewish quarter), which retains many of its original special features; the prison, located on the offshore island (now a refuge for rare birds, such as hawks); the many mosques, in a characteristic style, and especially the mosques of the Casbah and Ben Yossef; the synagogues (in particular the 19th-century synagogue of Simon Attias), which preserve the dynamism of the Jewish inhabitants; the late 18th-century Portuguese church; the Dar-Sultan (old Royal Palace); and the very attractive private houses. (Source)

Morocco - Tafraout

Tafraout.

Sent by Omar from Tafraout, Morocco.

Tafraout, also spelled Tafrawt or Tafraoute, is a town in Tiznit Province, Souss-Massa-Drâa, Morocco. It is located in the Anti-Atlas mountains in southern Morocco. According to the 2004 census it has a population of 4,931.

Tiznit is 78 km south of Agadir, well connected by a major road.

The roads to Tafraoute are difficult to traverse - narrow, snakelike, and mountainous. This is a good enough reason to take the Tiznit route. 

It takes about an hour to reach Tiznit where a left turning takes you to Tafraoute which is 107 km away. The first forty or so kilometres are plain sailing but once you reach the mountains it becomes more challenging. The road is somewhat narrow though it is still enough for two vehicles to pass without any problems. The climbing road is often unprotected and this is what creates some anxiety and detracts from enjoyment of otherwise stunning scenery. It should take not much longer than two hours to reach Tafraoute including a must stop at the Kerdous Hotel, located on a cliff edge at over three thousand feet above sea level overlooking the magical Kerdous Valley. (Source)

Morocco - Mapcard (3)

Sand dunes of the Sahara, the Atlantic dimensions and the Mediterranean MOROCCO is INFINITE...

Sent by Omar from Tafraout, Morocco.

Morocco - Mapcard (2)

Trekking in Merzouga.

Sent by Saadoun from Rabat, Morocco.

This is from Wikipedia : Merzouga is a small village in southeastern Morocco, about 35 kilometers southeast of Rissani, about 45 kilometers from Erfoud, and about 50 kilometers from the Algerian border.

The village is known for it's proximity to Erg Chebbi, a Saharan erg, and it is for this reason a part of the itineraries of many tourists visiting Morocco. Merzouga has the largest natural underground body of water in Morocco.

In 2006 Merzouga experienced devastating flash floods, displacing 1,200 and resulting in some deaths.

Near the dunes of Erg Chebbi there are some other less known villages: Hassilabied 4 km away, Tanamoust 3 km away, Takoujt 1.5 km away, Khamlia 7 km away and Tisserdmine 15 km away.

Morocco - Casablanca

View of Casablanca.

Sent by Saadoun from Rabat, Morocco.

This is from Wikipedia : Casablanca (Arabic: الدار البيضاء‎ Ad Dār al Bayḍā', original name in Berber: Anfa / ⴰⵏⴼⴰ) is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.

Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture of Casablanca and 3,631,061 in the region of Grand Casablanca. Casablanca is considered the economic and business center of Morocco, while the political capital city of Morocco is Rabat.

Casablanca hosts headquarters and main industrial facilities for the leading Moroccan and international companies based in Morocco. Industrial statistics show Casablanca retains its historical position as the main industrial zone of the country. The Port of Casablanca is one of the largest artificial ports in the world, and the largest port of North Africa. It is also the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

Morocco - Mapcard (1)

A mapcard of Morocco.

Sent by Amy of Netherlands. This is my first received postcard from Morocco.

This is from Wikipedia : Morocco (Arabic: المغرب‎, al-Maġrib), officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية, al-Mamlakah al-Maġribiyya), is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of nearly 33 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara. It is a part of the Maghreb region, besides Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania and Libya, with whome it shares both cultural, historical and linguistic ties.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The King of Morocco holds vast executive powers, including dissolving parliament at will. Executive power is exercised by the government but more importantly by the king himself. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Assembly of Representatives and the Assembly of Councillors. The king can also issue decrees called dahirs which have the force of law. Parliamentary elections were held in Morocco on 7 September 2007, and were considered by some neutral observers to be mostly free and fair; although voter turnout was estimated to be 37%, the lowest in decades. The political capital is Rabat, and the largest city is Casablanca; other large cities include Marrakesh, Tetouan, Tangier, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes and Oujda.

The population is a mix of Arabs and Berbers speaking a dialect of Maghrebi Arabic with many regional dialects. Berber-speaking Moroccans can be divided in three main dialectal groups: the Riffians, the Chleuh and the Central Moroccan Atlas inhabitants.