The Many Faces of Moroccan Architecture – Harry Sanderson

As I have amazingly already spent three weeks in Morocco, and my time in Fez is coming to an end, I would like to utilize this week’s blog as a recap of some of the amazing things I have seen thus far in Morocco. What has struck me the most about this beautiful country is its incredible architecture, where every building of each city I have visited has showcased its own intricate and exotic designs. Moroccan architecture has a rich history, as many tour guides, professors, and locals have informed us, that is full of complicated conflicts and migrations. Interestingly, and unsurprisingly, Morocco became a refuge for Moors fleeing the Christian conquest of Spain. Under Moorish rule, the Iberian Peninsula had incredibly beautiful buildings created across the land. As Moors feared persecution and even death, they fled to nearby Muslim countries, the nearest of which was here in Morocco. So, Morocco was blessed to be a sanctuary for highly skilled Moorish architects who utilized Moroccan resources to continue to construct exotic buildings all over the country. Thus, Morocco became known for the high quality and intricate designs of its buildings. I first noticed this in Fez when we toured the Medina on the first Saturday of our time here. Fez’s medina is full of delicately crafted fountains, homes, and mosques. One of its most striking features are the beautiful gates which boldly welcome all peoples and act as entrances into the medina.

This gate is just one of many which line the entrances to this old city. Interestingly, it was built by the French in 1913, but it was built to mimic Moroccan architecture and possesses all the qualities of a beautiful Moroccan masterpiece.

Our first trip outside of Fez and into the Moroccan countryside led us to the interesting “blue city” called Chefchauoen. This city, built into the side of a mountain, is beautiful and well-known because of its mysterious blue buildings. Inside its old city, every street, building, and even tree is painted a beautiful turquoise color. While no one knows exactly why these buildings are all painted this color, there have been many theories (like that this color keeps away the mosquitoes). However, the mystery of this city is one of the reasons it is so interesting and draws thousands of people to walk through its blue streets every year.

As encaptivating as the streets of Chefchauoen are, after traveling to Meknes and seeing its architecture, I began to realize that beauty was a normal part of life for Moroccans. We were able to go into its Medina onto a rooftop and look over its buildings. We saw the dozens of towers that dotted its skyline. These towers were used as watchtowers in old Moroccan history, but are still used for the Islamic call to prayer every day. We learnt that there are over 100 of them in the Medina alone, a shocking amount for such a small space.

Then we were able to visit Meknes’ famous square, full of vendors selling assorted goods, families entertaining their children, and live bands entertaining large crowds. As we walked through the square and the streets around it, I was just astounded that these local families casually lived in a city surrounded by buildings and arches hundreds of years old. To them, these were normal sites and were nothing special. To us, we were shocked and amazed by the delicacy and hand-crafted care that went into every building we passed.

Thus, my time in Morocco has been an experience I have never even come close to having before. Each day I find a new site or landmark which is just as beautiful as the last. It emphasizes the deep history that Morocco has and the pride with which Moroccan architects took in their work. Thankfully, most of these buildings have maintained their aesthetic value, retaining their beauty and not experiencing any major decline or damages. Overall, the architecture has just been one of many amazing things I have witnessed in my time here, and, with only 3 weeks left, I just want to appreciate every new design I come across.