UNESCO World heritage centers of Morocco



MEDINA OF FEZ


Founded in the 9th century and home to the oldest university in the world, Fez reached its height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Marinids, when it replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the medina – madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - date from this period. Inserted in the UNESCO's list in 1981.

MEDINA OF MARRAKECH


For the UNESCO, which inserted it in his list in 1985, the Marrakech medina constitute not only a masterpiece of human genius and inventiveness because of precence of impressive monuments, but it's also a straordinary example of human traditional settlement representative of a culture and a epoch. The Jemaa El-Fna square has been also recognized by UNESCO as an oral human heritage because of the richness of sounds, music and languages wich every evening animate and turn the square in a huge open-air theatre.

AIT BENHADDOU


One of the most impressive and better conserved ksar of Morocco, striking example of pre-Saharan architecture. Safeguarded by UNESCO since 1987.

MEKNES


Became an imperial capital under sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727). Represent for UNESCO, which have been recognised it as a world heritage in 1996, a impressive example of Maghreb city where the harmonious blending of the Islamic and European styles of the 17th century Maghreb are still evident today.

VOLUBILIS


It's an exceptionally well conserved example of a big Roman colony at empire borders. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 and brought back at the end of 19th century. It's in the UNESCO's list since 1997.

MEDINA OF TETOUAN


The city was an important share point between Morocco and Andalusia, influence of which is clearly proved by the architectures of the medina, perfectly conserved. Inserted in the UNESCO'S list in 1997.

MEDINA OF ESSAOUIRA


UNESCO has decided for its insertion in 2001 as an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town, built according to the principles of contemporary European military architecture in a North African context.

EL JADIDA (MAZAGAN)


One of the early settlements of the Portuguese explorers in West Africa on the route to India, El Jadida is an example of Renaissance design completed with Portuguese building technologies, as it can be seen in cistern and in the Church of the Assumption. It's in the UNESCO's list since 2004.