Monuments to visit Morocco

This vast residence, once three storeys high, is accessed through two sections of stone walls topped by a slab to form a doorway, to the left of which is engraved the inscription: Maison d'Orphée. The atrium is on the right, and the main mosaic shows Orpheus charming animals (elephant, horse) with his lyre. Unfortunately, this mosaic is not complete and part of the circle has been covered with cement. On the left as you enter, a beautiful complete mosaic representing nine dancing dolphins.

One of the best preserved mosaics, always on the left along the Decumanus.

Built at the beginning of the twentieth century by one of the French architects who marked urban planning in Morocco during the protectorate, Adrien Laforgue is the author of several emblematic buildings, Saint Peter's Cathedral (Hassan District in Rabat), Rabat station in downtown, and the General Treasury. The beautiful facade of a deep blue and green zelligar, mixing geometric and floral ornamentation, is noted at the outset. inside, men and women are waiting for their turn, sitting under a superb cedar ceiling with a large central brass chandelier. Behind the marble counters, we will look at the beautiful yellow clock to the very Art Deco typography.

This riad is a jewel of Moroccan architecture. The building, which dates from the 17th century, was restored by three friends who fell in love with the place and decided to open it to the public. You will be able to discover many exhibitions on Moroccan music and instruments, but also the history of its meticulous restoration. It also houses the Mellakh Foundation. Abdellay Mellakh is a painter who finds his way at the crossroads of figurative, abstract and symbolism. He was born, grew up and established his first studio in this house.

The square was the administrative heart of the French city during the protectorate period. In the centre of it once stood the equestrian statue of Marshal Lyautey. It was unrolled in 1956, on Independence Day, to be placed in front of the French consulate where it is still located today. Its administrative buildings in the neo-Moorish style combine all the elements of traditional Moroccan arts with the functional characteristics of European architecture: zellige, ironwork, marble... They give this square a beautiful architectural unity and frame a square where men rest and chat at any time of the day, in the shade of the ficus trees.

This door, at the northern end of the medina, gives an entrance door of the medieval castle, with its crenellated towers. It offers a breathtaking view of the valley below.

It is located behind the mosque and you can walk through its streets and underground, lit by some wells of light.

Dominating the medina, this ancient fortress of the th century dates from the sultan saadien Ahmed el-Mansour. In the south of the city, shortly before the Bab Ftouh cemetery, it had a defensive role, since Fes, located between the chain of Rif and the Middle Atlas, was prey to Berber tribes scattered from the mountains. Surrounded by olive trees, Borj offers a breathtaking view of the old medina. From far away, the minarets of the mosques, many hundreds of them throughout the city, are extirpent from the unity of the colors of the medina, the whole of which surrounded by walls.

Draws its name from the two twisted columns to the Corinthian top. Inside is a large peristyle peristyle (rainwater recovery basin).

Bags, poufs, slippers... all the leather you see in the souks comes from here. Even if the tanners' district of Marrakech is not as impressive as the one in Fez, it is worth the visit, if only to get acquainted with this long transformation process. You will understand the ancestral methods that allow the skins to be transformed into pieces of soft leather. The smells are strong, a bouquet of mint will be offered to you at the entrance. When you leave, you will not look at your future leather purchase in the same way!

Around a large stone rectangle still remains two unfortunately damaged mosaics. Basically and better preserved, a seated néréide on a sea horse and surrounded by centaurs.

The façade of the building is beautifully decorated with geometric motifs. We also note its elegant copper door. Inside, the wall of wall covered with zélliges is considered, a subtle color of gray, beige, roses and chestnut, overlooking a beautiful golden clock. A sculpture of Caesar made of interlocking metal plates, dated 1989, the "Eiffel plate" is set out in the main hall. You will also notice its beautiful glass ceiling that covers a geometric structure.

Two very well preserved mosaics: The first presents an acrobat (desultor) on horseback, and the second evokes a fishing scene.

It was on his return from Mecca in the 17th century that Mohammed Ibn Nasir founded the Qur'anic school(madrassa) of Tamegroute and its famous library. The latter houses nearly 4,000 works on subjects as varied as Koranic law, astrology, medicine, history, poetry, theology, philosophy and the interpretation of the Koran, as well as Turkish-Arabic dictionaries and collections of Berber poetry written phonetically in Arabic.

It was built by the Almohads when the Almohads found the existing kasbah too narrow to accommodate their families, imams and personal guards. So it was Yacoub el Mansour who undertook the construction of this kasbah located south of the medina, defended by Bab er Robb. Of the original kasbah only the Golden Apple Mosque remains today. In the 18th century, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah built the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen), a residence still frequented by the current king, Mohammed VI.

This building, built at the end of the th century by the Sheikh, was designed to ensure its prestige with the Saharan tribes. As it was carried out by artisans of Fez and Marrakech, the necessary construction materials (wood, lime, tiles, etc.), which were absent on site, were transported by sea to Tarfaya and then à back to Smara. Today, partially restored, little work would be needed to save this part of the region's heritage entirely, but they are urgent.