The Berber style
Berber architecture has its roots in time immemorial and has left its mark on southern Morocco, particularly in the Drâa, Dadès, Todra, Ziz and Tafilalet valleys, to the point of becoming its symbol. The beauty of the Berber style can be seen in the way the ksour (fortified villages), kasbahs (fortified houses) and agadirs (fortified granaries) are decorated with beautiful traditional geometric motifs. The houses are built in pisé, i.e. with materials available in the immediate environment, in this case a mixture of pebbles and clay, often with a little straw, packed between two planks during construction. This natural, uncluttered architecture blends perfectly with the colors of the southern landscape. It should be noted, however, that this ecological architecture is very fragile and erodes with the rain. A fragility that has seen many families leave the ksour and kasbahs in search of a safer habitat. Abandoned, these castles of earth and reeds could disappear forever. Fortunately, UNESCO has had the ingenious idea of registering some of them as World Heritage Sites, with the effect of starting a renovation process. Among the finest examples are the Aït-Benhaddou ksar and the Taourirt kasbah in Ouarzazate.
The kasbahs
Kasbahs can be found wherever, at one time or another, there were commercial interests in gold, salt, sugar or slaves. The kasbah is in fact a fortress, and the fortified quarters housed the lords who protected the inhabitants from nomadic attacks. The building, which is generally rectangular, has different levels, each with its own specific function. The first floor houses the animals, while the second floor is used as an attic and the second floor as living quarters. Kasbahs are built using the pisé method, and as the structure rises, holes are cut in the wall to hold the planks in place. This is why, when you look at kasbahs in Morocco, you'll notice regular holes in the facades. Ceilings are made of palm or cedar beams, with reed slats between them. Marrakech is home to one of the finest kasbahs still standing. Other splendid examples are Tinmal, in the Tizi n'Test region, and Telouet. In the north, don't miss Chefchaouen, whose red ramparts dominate the blue medina.
The ksour, spectacular constructions
A ksar( plural:ksour ) is a fortified village, usually built of adobe and reinforced with beams, whose bare walls provide protection against climatic and physical attack. In southern Morocco, these are particularly spectacular constructions: they can be found at the top of a steep rock or on the side of a rock face. They can also top an oasis of palm trees. The outer walls form the ramparts and are defended by corner towers. Inside, you'll find the dwellings, but often also an agadir to keep food supplies safe. Between the Drâa and Dadès valleys, you'll find splendid ksour overlooking the Skoura and N'kob oases. In Rissani, you can also take part in a marvellous tour where you can contemplate half a dozen fortified ksour, despite the fact that some of them are waiting to be restored.
The medina, a stroll through a maze of alleys
How can you talk about architecture in Morocco without mentioning the medina? A symbol of city dwellings, these are dwellings crammed together, as can be seen in many cities, from Marrakech to Fès el-Bali, Meknes and Tangier. While the houses are closed on the street side, they open up when you step inside, often onto a patio, garden or courtyard. As you stroll along the narrow streets, you'll pass through the souks for a few moments of bargain-hunting, and then it's time to contemplate the houses of the medina, which, as Islam preaches, are identical from the outside. It's when you're lucky enough to get inside that you discover that wealth is only manifested through decoration: furniture, tapestries, crockery... The most impressive medina in Morocco is that of Fez: a place where 700,000 people still live in what turns out to be a veritable medieval splendor.
The mosque and the medersas, places of the highest importance
Mosques can be found everywhere, built on noble land in the center of towns. As well as being a place of worship and prayer, with one wall facing Mecca, they are also a place of serenity for the non-Muslims who visit them, allowing them to escape the hustle and bustle of the big cities for a few moments. It should be noted, however, that only two mosques in Morocco are open to non-Muslims: the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca and the Tin Mal mosque near Tizi'n'Test. The shape of the mosque is inspired by the layout of the Prophet's house, with a central courtyard lined with arcades, and a pool at its center. This allows Muslims arriving barefoot to perform ablutions, a step that precedes prayer. The prayer room, also known as the harem, is organized around the mihrab, a niche carved into the wall, indicating the direction of Mecca. To the left is the minbar, or preaching pulpit. In the most important mosques, you'll find a minaret - a tower, usually square in shape, from which the muezzin calls for prayer five times a day. Today, however, it's more often than not an electrophone that performs this function. Among the most beautiful mosques in Morocco, don't miss the Al Quaraouiyine mosque in Fez - the oldest, founded in the 9th century - the Koutoubia in Marrakech, the Lalla Soukaïna mosque in Rabat, and the gigantic Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, built in 1993.
Religious schools since the Marinid dynasty, medersas have always been of great importance, as places to learn law, philosophy and astronomy. In Fez, you'll find the beautiful Attarine medersa, built in the 14th century and covered in zellige. Its beauty rivals that of Marrakech's medersa ben Youssef, with its richly chiselled stucco decoration. Several medersas are open to the public, except those still in operation.
Palaces, ramparts and gates
The Almohads launched the fashion for adobe ramparts, which now adorn the cities of Rabat, Marrakech and Fez. Splendid gates in the religious form of the mihrab, with cursive writing from the Koran, and merlons, saw-toothed or stepped crenellations, can be found all along. The most famous gate is Bab Mansour in Meknes, built on the orders of the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismaïl. Other remarkable buildings include palaces. In the 8th century, Arab conquerors brought Eastern-influenced artistic traditions to southern Europe. Three centuries later, the Almoravids left Muslim Spain, and Andalusia in particular, for Morocco, bringing with them Hispano-Moorish art. What's most surprising is often the interiors of the palaces. It's impressive to see how much attention was paid to every detail, and how much attention was paid to ornamenting the various rooms, from floor to ceiling. Depending on the location, we find geometric or floral motifs that seem to multiply ad infinitum, as in the throne room of the Palace of Rabat, skilful compositions of ceramics with zellige for the fountains, as in the Royal Palace of Fez, or carved and painted wood, as in the throne room of the Royal Palace of Marrakech.
Portuguese and Spanish influences
Towns such as El Jadida, Essaouira, Asilah, Azemmour and Safi all share an architectural heritage linked to the Portuguese presence on Moroccan soil. For 354 years, Portuguese covetousness was rife, and great defensive fortifications were built to face the Atlantic, such as those at Mazagan, built in the early 16th century and now part of the town of El Jadida, 90 km southwest of Casablanca. With its bastions and ramparts, the city's defenses are one of the earliest examples of Renaissance military architecture. All in all, the Portuguese city of El Jadida is undoubtedly the finest testimony to the alliance of influences between European and Moroccan cultures in the fields of architecture, military engineering and town planning.
When strolling through some of the towns in the northern part of Morocco, you may also notice that some houses have sophisticated wrought-iron windows, like those seen in southern Spain. This is a sign that the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra was exported to Morocco after the Reconquista. And so, throughout the protectorate era, it was the Art Deco style that became commonplace in Morocco, especially in the modern cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
The nomadic habitat
On a trip to southern Morocco, particularly to Zagora, Goulimine or Tan-Tan, where camel-drivers are legion, you'll have the opportunity to admire another type of habitat, that of the nomads. The Khaïma, or Berber tent, is used by tribes accompanying their herds. This dwelling is made up of strips of brown wool, sewn together and decorated with geometric motifs. They are supported by a wooden structure. In general, the Khaïma is placed near a watering hole and on a mound to avoid gusts of wind. The interior space is divided into two parts. There's a hidden part reserved for women, which always includes a loom. The other part is the men's area, bordered by mats, where they receive their guests. Some of the white tents are topped with golden balls, a symbol of authority, and are known as caïdales. These are the ones you'll find on a tour of the desert.
Some contemporary constructions
Contemporary architecture isn't necessarily what people come to Morocco for. But it could well change the face of the kingdom in the future. Alongside the desire to protect a rich historical heritage, there is also the objective of looking to the future, and showing that Morocco is a country that does not rest on its laurels alone. In the capital Rabat, several contemporary buildings have been erected, such as the National Library, which is not necessarily the most beautiful of constructions, and the glass tower headquarters of Maroc Telecom. But the most talked-about project in recent years is certainly Casablanca's grand CasArts theater (designed by Christian de Portzamparc and Rachid Andaloussi), on Place Mohammed V. A bold new building which, as well as being the city's new icon, hosts a wide range of artistic practices all year round: theater, dance, music and musicals. A cultural mecca.
