Dressing & Public Behavior in Morocco
Morocco is a Muslim country, and modest dress is the norm. While there has been some significant Westernization of clothing styles, even the latest fashions are given a modest take in this country. Many women wear the traditional djellaba and headscarf, yet it is common to see younger girls and women who wear jeans and T-shirts.
As a visitor, you certainly aren’t expected to wear traditional dress, but covering up your shoulders and upper arms, not wearing anything above the knee, and keeping all parts of your midriff covered would be a good way to show you respect the culture of modesty present among the locals. To keep cool in the warmer climate, keeping your garments loose not only adds to a modesty factor, but will also keep you cooler during the day as well.
For men, it is also a good idea to consider modesty as well and keep with the same lines of women’s dress in keeping the shoulders covered and not wearing a pair of shorts that go above the knee.
In more rural areas, it is better for both men and women to consider covering up even further by wearing long, loose pants or an ankle-length skirt. For women, covering more of the arm with at least a ¾ length sleeve is also a good idea. If you are planning to attend a mosque, this dress, as well as covering the hair would be necessary. Additionally, both men and women need to remove their shoes before entering a mosque.
On most beaches, swimsuits are acceptable, but should only be shown once on the beach. If you must change, doing so in one of the available changing rooms or restrooms is more appropriate than doing so on the beach.
In addition to the way you dress, take into consideration certain behaviors in public. For instance, public displays of affection between the opposite sexes are not common and still a bit taboo. Men and women should keep a bit of distance between themselves when walking along the street. However, it is customary for men to hold hands of their male friends and family members when walking along the street and the same goes for women. This is purely platonic as homosexuality is still quite taboo in Morocco.
In many instances, a woman taking a seat at the male-dominated cafes is also still considered unacceptable. However, this is less so for Western women, and if you really want to visit a cafe, try sitting at one of the tables on the inside section and not the seats along the sidewalk.
In general, it is best for a woman not to go out alone if possible. Having a male companion, or at least another female will ward off lewd comments and inappropriate actions from local men, which is unfortunately, all too common.
If you happen to visit Morocco during Ramadan, you would not be expected to fast from food and drink as the Muslims do from dawn until dusk. However, it would be very offensive to eat in public so you should plan meals and travel around being able to eat in a private space. You should also note that most restaurants and cafes during the day, so finding food to eat may prove more difficult than eating it in public anyway.
Monuments & History in Rabat Morocco
Monuments & History in Rabat Morocco
Acting as Morocco’s capital city for since the French protectorate, which ended in the 1950s, Rabat is more of a laid-back coastal town more than it is a booming metropolis like its much bigger sister city, Casablanca. The capital city has a lot to offer, especially in the way of monuments and historical sites worth visiting. Additionally, Rabat has a medina that is worth exploring. While it is minute when compared to the Fez Medina, for example, it is hassle-free and you can get real bargains on Moroccan crafts and even Berber rugs.
While Rabat is booming in an economic, political, and administrative sense, it is a place where learning and the arts are highly respected. The monuments here speak of an ancient and fertile past that links the country to both the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians. When the Romans moved into the area to create what would become their farthest colony south of Rome, they left artifacts and ruins that can still be visited. Eventually, Arab rulers took over the city and built a fortified kasbah that they called a ribat, which is where modern-day Rabat got its name. When the Almohad Dynasty moved in around the twelfth century, they rebuilt the kasbah and used it as their war base while taking over the south of Spain.
The Citadel of Chellah Gardens:
While Rabat has many impressive monuments and sites to see, the most beautiful are the Chellah Gardens that are open daily to the public. In the springtime, the flowers inside the garden are blooming with colors and heavenly scents. Unlike Menara Gardens in Marrakesh, which were never inhabited, the Chellah was left completely empty by the 1200s because more people were moving to the more popular city of Sale, which is separated from Rabat by the Bou Regreg River.
The Sanctuary of the Chellah Gardens was used as royal burial grounds. The Almohads who had the door decorated and inscribed with Arabesque calligraphy created the remarkable entrance into Chellah. The Roman ruins of the Chellah Gardens, much like the ruins of Volubilis are also open to the public and many travelers are surprised at how freely tourists can roam around the area. With minimal observation from the workers and security working there, it is up to travelers to make sure they respect certain areas.
The Sanctuary of the Chellah Gardens are the true home of the Islamic artifacts that were uncovered here. A minaret made of stone is a nice centerpiece. The Abou Youssef Mosque is now in ruins and was a small structure to begin with. However, the area is near the royal tombs, where Abou El Hassan and other historical leaders of importance are buried.
Mohammed V Mausoleum & the Hassan Mosque:
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is also a mosque was, strangely enough, designed by a Vietnamese architect who wanted to capture the more traditional Moroccan art techniques, while still asserting an air of modernity. The Mausoleum is one holy place that foreigners and non-Muslims are allowed to enter.
The Hassan Mosque in Rabat was started as an ambitious project to be one of the largest mosques in the world. The mosque was designed to be a symbol to the success of Morocco over its battles with Spain. Like the Kairouine Mosque in Fez does, this mosque would have held tens of thousands of worshippers. However, it was brought down and left unfinished when the Lisbon earthquake also brought down several structures along Morocco’s coast with it. The structure is unique and each of its different faces gives way to a different type of architecture, namely a motif called Shabka that is still popular today.
Acting as Morocco’s capital city for since the French protectorate, which ended in the 1950s, Rabat is more of a laid-back coastal town more than it is a booming metropolis like its much bigger sister city, Casablanca. The capital city has a lot to offer, especially in the way of monuments and historical sites worth visiting. Additionally, Rabat has a medina that is worth exploring. While it is minute when compared to the Fez Medina, for example, it is hassle-free and you can get real bargains on Moroccan crafts and even Berber rugs.
While Rabat is booming in an economic, political, and administrative sense, it is a place where learning and the arts are highly respected. The monuments here speak of an ancient and fertile past that links the country to both the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians. When the Romans moved into the area to create what would become their farthest colony south of Rome, they left artifacts and ruins that can still be visited. Eventually, Arab rulers took over the city and built a fortified kasbah that they called a ribat, which is where modern-day Rabat got its name. When the Almohad Dynasty moved in around the twelfth century, they rebuilt the kasbah and used it as their war base while taking over the south of Spain.
The Citadel of Chellah Gardens:
While Rabat has many impressive monuments and sites to see, the most beautiful are the Chellah Gardens that are open daily to the public. In the springtime, the flowers inside the garden are blooming with colors and heavenly scents. Unlike Menara Gardens in Marrakesh, which were never inhabited, the Chellah was left completely empty by the 1200s because more people were moving to the more popular city of Sale, which is separated from Rabat by the Bou Regreg River.
The Sanctuary of the Chellah Gardens was used as royal burial grounds. The Almohads who had the door decorated and inscribed with Arabesque calligraphy created the remarkable entrance into Chellah. The Roman ruins of the Chellah Gardens, much like the ruins of Volubilis are also open to the public and many travelers are surprised at how freely tourists can roam around the area. With minimal observation from the workers and security working there, it is up to travelers to make sure they respect certain areas.
The Sanctuary of the Chellah Gardens are the true home of the Islamic artifacts that were uncovered here. A minaret made of stone is a nice centerpiece. The Abou Youssef Mosque is now in ruins and was a small structure to begin with. However, the area is near the royal tombs, where Abou El Hassan and other historical leaders of importance are buried.
Mohammed V Mausoleum & the Hassan Mosque:
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is also a mosque was, strangely enough, designed by a Vietnamese architect who wanted to capture the more traditional Moroccan art techniques, while still asserting an air of modernity. The Mausoleum is one holy place that foreigners and non-Muslims are allowed to enter.
The Hassan Mosque in Rabat was started as an ambitious project to be one of the largest mosques in the world. The mosque was designed to be a symbol to the success of Morocco over its battles with Spain. Like the Kairouine Mosque in Fez does, this mosque would have held tens of thousands of worshippers. However, it was brought down and left unfinished when the Lisbon earthquake also brought down several structures along Morocco’s coast with it. The structure is unique and each of its different faces gives way to a different type of architecture, namely a motif called Shabka that is still popular today.
Marrakesh: A Brief History
Marrakesh: A Brief History
Over the centuries, Marrakesh has been a desert oasis, military headquarters, a religious center and the playground of a sultan. It is one of Morocco’s great cities, but it began as a watering hole for the local Berber tribes. It was little more than a remote outpost before the Almoravid Berber leader Youssef bin Tashufin, cousin to the sultan, and his wife Zeinab founded what would become the city of Marrakesh in 1062 A.D.
Under Tashufin’s guidance, the city grew house by house. A mosque was established and, eventually, Marrakesh became the capital of the Almoravid Empire. Under the Almohads, Marrakesh developed into a luxurious Islamic city. It quickly became a center of commercial power.
Originally captured by the Almohads in 1147 A.D., the existing religious and civic structures were destroyed; it was stripped down to little more than plumbing. Marrakesh is known as the “red town” because of the distinctive Kasbah wall that surrounds the city’s medina. Yacoub el-Mansour redesigned the city and incorporated a fortified Kasbahs, beautiful gardens, covered markets called gissariats and the Koutubia mosque, the city’s major landmark.
Yet, the Almorvid Empire lost Marrakesh to the Merenids in the middle of the 13th century. A period of steep decline followed as the city lost its prominent place in the region to Fez. Marrakesh was largely neglected during the reign of the Merenids. Nearly 300 years later, the Saadians took control of Morocco in 1522. By this time Marrakesh was in ruins, but Sultan Moulay Abdullah established it as a new capital for the Saadian kingdom in 1551. A rich sugar trade funded new construction, and Mohammed Al Mahdi set about restoring the grandeur of Marrakesh.
During this period, magnificent structures like the Al Bedi Palace were built. It was also a remarkable period for Moroccan craftsmanship. Many artisans traveled to Marrakesh to contribute their considerable talents to various public and private projects. By the 17th century, Marrakesh had regained its wealth and cultural influence. In 1669, it was truly the most influential city in Morocco. However, the same year spelled the end (again) of Marrakesh’s exalted status.
Almost another century of disrepair and neglect passed before Mohammed III restored the city in the middle of the 18th century. The rejuvenated city remained largely the same until 1917 when the French invaded Morocco and removed El Hiba, a Saharan chieftain who had held Marrakesh for the last five years. At that time, Morocco became a French protectorate, and a modern, French-styled city was constructed beyond the walls of the older medina.
When Morocco became independent in 1956, the new monarchy ousted the Glaousa family, but since then, the city has become a haven for artists and activity. Now, more than fifty years later, Marrakesh remains an important city with a rich cultural history that attracts visitors from around the world.
Over the centuries, Marrakesh has been a desert oasis, military headquarters, a religious center and the playground of a sultan. It is one of Morocco’s great cities, but it began as a watering hole for the local Berber tribes. It was little more than a remote outpost before the Almoravid Berber leader Youssef bin Tashufin, cousin to the sultan, and his wife Zeinab founded what would become the city of Marrakesh in 1062 A.D.
Under Tashufin’s guidance, the city grew house by house. A mosque was established and, eventually, Marrakesh became the capital of the Almoravid Empire. Under the Almohads, Marrakesh developed into a luxurious Islamic city. It quickly became a center of commercial power.
Originally captured by the Almohads in 1147 A.D., the existing religious and civic structures were destroyed; it was stripped down to little more than plumbing. Marrakesh is known as the “red town” because of the distinctive Kasbah wall that surrounds the city’s medina. Yacoub el-Mansour redesigned the city and incorporated a fortified Kasbahs, beautiful gardens, covered markets called gissariats and the Koutubia mosque, the city’s major landmark.
Yet, the Almorvid Empire lost Marrakesh to the Merenids in the middle of the 13th century. A period of steep decline followed as the city lost its prominent place in the region to Fez. Marrakesh was largely neglected during the reign of the Merenids. Nearly 300 years later, the Saadians took control of Morocco in 1522. By this time Marrakesh was in ruins, but Sultan Moulay Abdullah established it as a new capital for the Saadian kingdom in 1551. A rich sugar trade funded new construction, and Mohammed Al Mahdi set about restoring the grandeur of Marrakesh.
During this period, magnificent structures like the Al Bedi Palace were built. It was also a remarkable period for Moroccan craftsmanship. Many artisans traveled to Marrakesh to contribute their considerable talents to various public and private projects. By the 17th century, Marrakesh had regained its wealth and cultural influence. In 1669, it was truly the most influential city in Morocco. However, the same year spelled the end (again) of Marrakesh’s exalted status.
Almost another century of disrepair and neglect passed before Mohammed III restored the city in the middle of the 18th century. The rejuvenated city remained largely the same until 1917 when the French invaded Morocco and removed El Hiba, a Saharan chieftain who had held Marrakesh for the last five years. At that time, Morocco became a French protectorate, and a modern, French-styled city was constructed beyond the walls of the older medina.
When Morocco became independent in 1956, the new monarchy ousted the Glaousa family, but since then, the city has become a haven for artists and activity. Now, more than fifty years later, Marrakesh remains an important city with a rich cultural history that attracts visitors from around the world.
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