The city of Fes: (1981)
The city of Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, with a population of 1.1 million. Fes is home to many cultural and historical sites including Al Karaouin University, which was founded in AD 859 by Fatima Al Fihri, originally from the city of Al kairouan in Tunisia.
[caption id="attachment_149841" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
Al Karaouin University[/caption]
The historic university of Fez is actually recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest degree-granting university in the world.
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The Medina of Fez. The Gate of Sidi Awad in Rassif[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_139113" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Tanneries in Fez Medina[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_156702" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Fez tanneries in Bab Guissa[/caption]
Medina of Marrakesh (1985)
Founded in 1071 by Youssef Ibn Tachfin, head of the Berber Almoravid Empire, Marrakech, the historic medieval city, is the fourth largest cities in Morocco. With its famous Jemaa El Fna square (third most beautiful square in the world), the famous Koutoubia mosque and the wonderful Majorelle Gardens, the ochre city is considered among the world’s best tourist destinations.
[caption id="attachment_138874" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Marrakech Jamaa El Fenna.[/caption]
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou (1987)
Ait Ben Haddou is a fortress in the province of Ouerzazate. It is classified as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites and is located in the valley of Ounila. Ait Ben Haddou, which is made up of six Kasbahs and nearly fifty Ksars (small villages) or individual Kasbahs, is a great example of earthen clay architecture that lasts for decades. In earlier times, caravans passed by here on their way from Timbuktu to Marrakech.
[caption id="attachment_152235" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco[/caption]
The city of Meknes: (1996)
Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, the Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672–1727), one of the early sultans of the Alaouite dynasty, made the city of Meknes his capital. surrounded by fortified high walls and big gates – the largest and most remarkable door of Meknes is Bab Al Mansour- the city manifests the Spanish-Moorish style with a great impact of the Islamic architecture.
[caption id="attachment_83835" align="aligncenter" width="622"] Bab Mansour, Meknes[/caption]
The Archaeological Site of Volubilis: (1997)
Volubilis is a partly excavated Roman city situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat. Listed for being "an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire", the ruins of Volubilis are a famous tourist destination.
Medina of Tetouan (formerly known as Titawin) (1997)
Tetouan is a city in northern Morocco. It had a significant importance during the presence of Islam in present day Spain, and served as the meeting point between Morocco and Andalusia. The city is rich in its cultural diversity and beautiful landscapes.
The region of Tetouane, particularly Chefchaoun, is home to a little paradise in the valley of Talembote. The waterfall of Akchour is a pristine natural beauty and offers an amazing scenery. Akchour is an uplifting cascade, attracting more and more tourists since the opening of the natural park of Talassemtane.
Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) (2001)
Essaouira, also known by its Portuguese name of Mogador, is an outstanding coastal city with a rich culture and history.
With its fortified walls, unique fishing harbor and seagulls soaring and screaming over the town, the city is a haven for Gnawa music fans.
The city is home to the Gnaoua festival, which is organized every year with the participation of many artists from all over the world. The festival “retains the sort of laid-back charm that lured the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens in the Sixties.”
[caption id="attachment_79482" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A wonderful view of the Essaouira Beach (Le Chalet de La Plage). Photo by Jeanette Clopton -MWN[/caption]
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) (2004)
Mazagan is the former name of the present city of El Jadida (96 km from Casablanca). It was built as a fortified colony on the Atlantic coast in the early 16th century.
The Portuguese buildings, including the cistern and the Church of the Assumption, which was built in the Manueline style (late Gothic), are still representing the interchangeable influences between Portuguese and Moroccan cultures.
[caption id="attachment_156826" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Photo credit: Abel Guillermo Ríos[/caption]
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage (2012)
Located on the Atlantic coast in the north-west of Morocco, Rabat is the political and administrative capital city of the kingdom.
The city was founded in 1150 by the Almohades, who built a citadel, currently the kasbah Oudayas, a mosque and a residence. Among the remarkable historic monuments of the city, there is Hassan Mosque ( 1184) and Chellah, which is the site of a medieval fortified necropolis.
The current city of Rabat, known as “Ville Nouvelle” was built during the French colonial period and was further developed after the independence.
[caption id="attachment_117616" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Moulay Youssef Mosque in Rabat[/caption]
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