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Friday, May 19, 2017

Bin el Ouidane

 The dam Bin el Ouidane (in Arabic  :  سد بين الودان ) is a Moroccan dam located in the province of Azilal (region Limpopo ), designed by the engineer André Coyne .

A major building for dam construction, it has a dual purpose: energy production and irrigation. It is considered to be the highest vault dam in Africa and the largest in Morocco in energy production. Besides its ability irrigation on the plain of Tadla , who belongs to the pre-Atlas inland plain of Tadla ( 3500 km 2 ), extended in the region of Marrakech -Tensift-Al Haouz by the plain of Sraghna. The dam made it possible to develop 69,500 ha of fertile land over 125 km in length. The policy of the Moroccan government in the early 1960s was to achieve irrigation, Million hectares. Despite the large network of dams, Morocco is confronted with certain problems: drought, and the filling of dams by mud, which has an influence on the retention of water.


History
At the beginning of 1948 , the SGE and the Enterprise Fougerolle for Public Works ranked first in the awarding of the works of this great Moroccan dam. In order to execute the contract, they form an ad hoc company, the Bin-el-Ouidane Factory Construction Company (ECBO). Located on the main tributary of the Oum Errabiaa , Oued el-Abid, the project is ambitious since it must allow the realization of the most powerful hydropower in Morocco. As early as 1929, studies were carried out on the site. On the eve of the Second World War, the Electrical Energy of Morocco and the public authorities decided to carry out this development. However, the work does not enter into their active phase until after the conflict. In total, the Oued el-Abid complex is to provide 600 billion kilowatt-hours , or two-thirds of Morocco's hydropower. In addition, it will be possible to irrigate 112 000 ha . The Bin-el-Ouidane dam, studied by the Coyne and Bellier bureau , is 132 m high and 290 centimeters long and remains the highest in Africa. Provided with a large spillway in ski jump with a capacity of 2,500 m 3 / s , it determines, once built, a reservoir of an area far exceeding that of Lake Annecy .



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Fez

Fez (Arabic: فاس‎‎ Fas, Berber: ⴼⴰⵙ Fas, French: Fès) is the second largest city of Morocco, with a population of 1.1 million (2014).
Fez was the capital city of modern Morocco until 1925 and is now the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. The city has two old medina quarters, the larger of which is Fes el Bali. It is listed as a World Heritage Site and is believed to be one of the world's largest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas). University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world. The city has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa"

Etymology
The Arabic word فأس Faʾs means pickaxe, which legends say Idris I of Morocco used when he created the lines of the city. One noticeable thing was that the pickaxe was made from silver and gold. 
During the rule of the Idrisid dynasty, Fez consisted of two cities: Fas Elbali, founded by Idris I[citation needed], and al-ʿĀliyá, founded by his son, Idris II. During Idrisid rule the capital city was known as al-ʿĀliyá, with the name Fas being reserved for the separate site on the other side of the river; no Idrisid coins have been found with the name Fez, only al-ʿĀliyá and al-ʿĀliyá Madinat Idris. It is not known whether the name al-ʿĀliyá ever referred to both urban areas. It wasn't until 1070 that the two agglomerations were united and the name Fas was used for the combined site.

Foundation and the Idrisids
The city was founded on a bank of the Jawhar river by Idris I in 789, founder of the Zaydi Shi'i Idrisid dynasty. His son, Idris II (808), built a settlement on the opposing river bank. These settlements would soon develop into two walled and largely autonomous sites, often in conflict with one another: Madinat Fas and Al-'Aliya. In 808 Al-'Aliya replaced Walili as the capital of the Idrisids.

Arab emigration to Fez, including 800 Andalusi families of Berber descent in 817–818 expelled after a rebellion against the Umayyads of Córdoba, Andalusia, and 2000 Arab families banned from Kairouan (modern Tunisia) after another rebellion in 824, gave the city its Arabic character. The Andalusians settled in what is called the 'Old' Fez, while the Tunisians found their home in the 'New' Fez, also called al-'Aliya. These two waves of immigrants would subsequently give their name to the sites 'Adwat Al-Andalus and 'Adwat al-Qarawiyyin. The majority of the population was of Arab descent, and the minority was of North-African Berber descent, with rural Berbers from the surrounding countryside settling there throughout this early period, mainly in Madinat Fas (the Andalusian quarter) and later in Fes Jdid.

Upon the death of Idris II in 828, the dynasty’s territory was divided among his sons. The eldest, Muhammad, received Fez. The newly fragmented Idrisid power would never again be reunified. During Yahya ibn Muhammad's rule in Fez the Kairouyine mosque, one of the oldest and largest in Africa, was built and its associated University of Al Quaraouiyine was founded (859). Comparatively little is known about Idrisid Fez, owing to the lack of comprehensive historical narratives and that little has survived of the architecture and infrastructure of early Fez (Al-'Aliya). The sources that mention Idrisid Fez, describe a rather rural one, not having the cultural sophistication of the important cities of Al-Andalus and Ifriqiya.


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Lagzira


Lagzira  , Legzira  , or Gzira  , is a Moroccan wild beach , located in the rural commune of Tioughza , between the towns of Tiznit and Sidi Ifni , about 150 km south of Agadir and 10 km north of Sidi ifni . Its landscape and its waves are appreciated by hikers and surfers.

In March 2014, the magazine La Nouvelle Tribune has ranked among the twelve best beaches in the country .
One of the emblematic arches of the beach collapses 23 September 2016, Probably due to natural erosion.







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Ifrane

Ifrane (Arabic: إفران ‎‎; Berber: ⵉⴼⵔⴰⵏ) is a city in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco (population 73,782 in November 2014). The capital of Ifrane Province in the region of Fès-Meknès, Ifrane is located at an elevation of 1,665 m (5,463 ft). In Tamazight, the regional Berber language, "ifran" means caves.

The modern town of Ifrane was established by the French administration in 1928 during the protectorate era for their administration due to its Alpine climate. Ifrane was conceived as a “hill station” or colonial type of settlement. It is a resort town set high up in the mountains so that Europeans can find relief from the summer heat of tropical colonies. Ifrane is also a popular altitude training destination.

The first permanent settlement of the area dates to the 16th century, when the Sharif of Sîdî 'Abd al-Salâm established his community in the Tizguit Valley, seven km downstream from the present town. Ifrane is a colonial “hill station”, and a “garden city”. It is also an “imperial city”, a mountain resort, a provincial administrative center, and a college town.

History
The first permanent settlement of the area dates to the 16th century, when a sharîf by the name of Sîdî ‘Abd al-Salâm established his community in the Tizguit Valley, seven km downstream from the present town. In Tamazight, the regional Berber language, yfran means “caves”. Sîdî ‘Abd al-Salâm’s village, called Zaouiat Sidi Abdeslam (or simply the zâwiyah), consisted at first of cave dwellings hollowed out of the limestone valley wall. Only in the last fifty years or so have its inhabitants build houses above ground. The caves which now lie under these houses are still used as mangers for animals and for storage.

Modern history
The modern town of Ifrane was established by the French administration in 1929 on land expropriated from the inhabitants of the zâwiya. The town was to be a "hill station," a cool place for colonial families to spend the hot summer months, and it was initially planned according to the "garden city" model of urban design then in vogue. The plan called for chalet-type summer homes in the Alpine style, laid out among gardens and curving tree-lined streets. A royal palace was also built for Sultan Muhammad b. Yûsuf. The town's first public buildings consisted of a post office and a church. Moreover, a penitentiary was built which served as a POW camp during World War II.

As elsewhere in Morocco, a shanty town called Timdiqîn soon grew up next to the colonial establishment. It housed the Moroccan population (maids, gardeners, etc.) that serviced the French vacationers. Timdiqîn was separated from the colonial garden city by a deep ravine. After independence the French properties in the original garden city were slowly bought up by Moroccans. The town was enlarged and endowed with a mosque, a municipal market and public housing estates. Furthermore, the shanty neighborhood of Timdiqîn was rebuilt with proper civic amenities.

In 1979 Ifrane became the seat of the administrative province of the same name and some government services were established. In 1995 Al Akhawayn University, an English-language, American-curriculum public university opened and this has helped re-launch Ifrane as a desirable destination for domestic tourism. Consequently, Ifrane continues to develop as both a summer and winter resort. Old chalets in the center of town are being demolished and replaced with condominium complexes, while vacation centers and gated housing estates are springing up on the outskirts.


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Jazīrat Tūra‎‎


Perejil Island (Spanish: Isla de Perejil, Berber: Tura, Arabic: جزيرة تورة Jazīrat Tūra‎‎) is a small, uninhabited rocky islet located off the coast of Morocco, just 200 metres from the mainland coast. Its sovereignty is disputed between Spain and Morocco. It was the subject of an armed incident between the two countries in 2002.
The name Isla de Perejil literally means "Parsley Island" in Spanish. Its original Berber name is Tura, meaning "empty". Moroccan and international media often mistakenly use the name Laila (ليلى) due to a confusion resulting from it being referred to as "la isla" ("the island") pronounced in Spanish with Andalusian accent, rendering "lah ihla" or laíla. It is sometimes referred to in Arabic as "Jazirat al-Ma'danus" (جزيرة معدنوس), which is a translation of "Parsley Island".

In Moroccan historical references it is only known as "Tura". In his speech to the Moroccan people commemorating the "Throne Day" on July 30, 2002, the king of Morocco used the name "Tura" exclusively, when he mentioned the armed incident with Spain over the island.
Geography
The island lies 250 metres (820 feet) off the coast of Morocco, 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the Spanish city of Ceuta and 13.5 km (8.4 miles) from mainland Spain. The island is about 480 by 480 metres (1,575 by 1,575 feet) in size, with an area of 15 ha or 0.15 square kilometres (0.06 sq mi). It has a maximum height of 74 metres (243 feet)     above sea level.                                                                                                                                                    

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Tétouan

Tétouan (from the Berber ⵜⵉⵟⵟⴰⵡⵉⵏ Tiṭṭawin, Arabic: تطوان‎‎, Spanish: Tetuán, French: Tétouan) is a city in northern Morocco. The Berber name means literally "the eyes" and figuratively "the water springs". Tétouan is one of the two major ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea. It lies a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and about 40 mi (60 km) E.S.E. of Tangier. In 2014 the city had 463,968 inhabitants (census figure). Tétouan's civil airport Sania Ramel Airport is located 6 km to the east.

In 1913 Tétouan became the capital of the Spanish protectorate of Morocco, which was governed by the Jalifa (Moroccan prince, serving as Viceroy for the Sultan), and the Spanish "Alto Comisario" accredited to him. It remained such a capital until 1956, when Morocco regained its full independence.

Arabic is the official language,the city has its own dialect,[1][2] a particular citadin variant of non-Hilalian Arabic which is distinct from Jebli Arabic.[3][4] However, Jebli Arabic is predominant since people from the neighboring rural areas settled in the city during the 20th century rural flights.[5] The use of Spanish and French is still widespread especially by the businessmen and intellectual elites due to past colonial ties and geographic location to Europe. The majority religion is Islam; small Christian and Jewish communities also exist.
The city is situated about 60 km east of the city of Tangier and 40 km south of the Spanish exclave of Ceuta (Sebta) and the Strait of Gibraltar. It is in the far north of the Rif Mountains. To the south and west of the city there are mountains. Tetuan is situated in the middle of a belt of orchards that contain orange, almond, pomegranate and cypress trees. The Rif Mountains are nearby, as the city is located in the Martil Valley. It is picturesquely situated on the northern slope of a fertile valley down which flows the Martil river, with the harbour of Tétouan, Martil, at its mouth. Behind rise rugged masses of rock, the southern wall of the Anjera country, once practically closed to Europeans, and across the valley are the hills which form the northern limit of the still more impenetrable Rif.

The streets are fairly wide and straight, and many of the houses belonging to aristocratic families, descendants of those expelled from Al-Andalus by the Spanish Reconquista, possess marble fountains and have groves planted with orange trees. Within the houses the ceilings are often exquisitely carved and painted in hispano-moresque designs, such as are found in the Alhambra of Granada, and the tile-work for which Tetuan is known may be seen on floors, pillars and dados. The traditional industries are tilework, inlaying with silver wire, and the manufacture of thick-soled yellow slippers, much-esteemed flintlocks, and artistic towels used as cape and skirt by Arabic girls in rural areas. The Jews lived in a mellah, separated from the rest of the town by gates which were closed at night. The harbour of Tetuan was obstructed by a bar, over which only small vessels can pass, and the roadstead, sheltered to the north, Northwest and south, is exposed to the east, and is at times unsafe in consequence of the strong Levanter.

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Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate (Berber: ⵡⴰⵔⵣⴰⵣⴰⵜ, Warzazat; Arabic: ورزازات‎‎), nicknamed The door of the desert, is a city and capital of Ouarzazate Province in Drâa-Tafilalet region of south-central Morocco. Ouarzazate is at an elevation of 1,160 metres (3,810 ft) in the middle of a bare plateau south of the High Atlas Mountains. To the south of the town is the desert.
The town is chiefly inhabited by Berber-speakers, who constructed many of the prominent kasbahs (locally known as: iɣeṛman) and buildings for which the area is known. Ouarzazate is an important holiday destination in Morocco, as a base for excursions across the Draa Valley and into the desert. The fortified village (ksar) of Ait Benhaddou west of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Ouarzazate area is a noted film-making location, with Morocco's biggest studios inviting many international companies to work here. Films such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Living Daylights (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Kundun (1997), Legionnaire (1998), Hanna (2011),The Hills Have Eyes (2006), and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) were shot here, as was part of the TV series Game of Thrones.
The Ouarzazate solar power station invested and created by the Arab League is expected to open its first phase in December 2015

History
For a long time, Ouarzazate was a small crossing point for African traders on their way to northern Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town, administrative centre and customs post. It is home to the kasbah of Taourirt, which was the casbah of the former caïd and later owned by T'hami El Glaoui. The Krupp field gun which secured Glaoui power is displayed outside the kasbah today.
The area is also known for its Ouazguita carpets with geometric designs of red-orange on black background.

Film studios
Atlas Studios is one of the largest movie studios in the world, in terms of land area. Several historical movies were shot here, including The Living Daylights, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King, Kingdom of Heaven and Babel. It was also the location of an episode of the television series The Amazing Race 10 and Game of Thrones (Season 3). Prison Break Season 5 is also located here. 


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Thursday, May 18, 2017

Errachidia


Errachidia (Arabic: الرشيدية‎‎, ar-Rachīdīya, Berber: ⵉⵎⵜⵖⴻⵔⵏ Imtgheren) is a city in Morocco, located in the Errachidia Province, in the region of Drâa-Tafilalet. Both languages Berber and Arabic spoken largely in this city. Israeli politician Meir Sheetrit was born in this city in 1948. He immigrated to Israel in 1957.
The city was part of the route of the 2006 and 2007 Dakar Rally.

Toponymy
Formerly known as "Ksar Es Souk" (Berber: ⵉⵖⵔⴻⵎ ⵏ ⵓⵍⵣⵓⵣ, Ighrem n Ulzuz), the city was renamed Errachidia around 1975 in honor of the second son of Hassan II, Moulay Rachid.
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Tan-Tan


Tan-Tan (Arabic: طانطان‎‎, Berber: ⵟⴰⵏⵟⴰⵏ) is a city in Tan-Tan Province in the region of Guelmim-Oued Noun in south-western Morocco. It is a desert town with a population (2014 census) of 73,209. It is the largest city in the province and second largest city in the region after the capital Guelmim. It is located on the banks of the wadi Oued Ben Jelil, which flows into the Draa River 15 km north of the town. The Draa River, at 1,100 km is the longest in Morocco and flows into the Atlantic Ocean soon after the confluence with the wadi. The town also has an airport, Tan Tan Plage Blanche Airport.
Hitory
The quartz figurine Venus of Tan-Tan was found in a river terrace deposit on the north bank of the Draa River. Dated between 200,000 and 500,000 BCE, it is considered one of the oldest human-form sculptures in the world, although its formation may actually be natural.
Port
The nearby port, known as Tan-Tan Plage in French; Port of Tan-Tan in English; and El Ouatia, al-Watiyah or الوطية in Arabic is about 25 kilometres west from Tan-Tan on the Atlantic Ocean. With a population in 2004 of 6,294 it is the second largest settlement in the province and ninth in the region. Both Tan-Tan and Tan-Tan Plage are on Morocco's main highway, the N1.



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Paradise Valley


Paradise Valley is a section of the Tamraght River valley in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains. It is located approximately 20 km north of Agadir. The valley is known for its abundance of rock pools and small waterfalls.





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Sunday, May 7, 2017

The cascades of Ouzoud

The cascades of Ouzoud ( waterfalls of the mills in Berber ) are waterfalls about 110 m high, on three levels, on Oued ouzoud, at 1060 m altitude in the Middle Atlas in Morocco . This vast site is an important Moroccan tourist site 120 km from Béni Mellal and 150 km northeast of Marrakech .
These waterfalls, considered among the highest and most beautiful in Morocco, often dominated by a rainbow , are located in a verdant rural valley of red sandstone , planted with olive groves , almonds and fig trees And other carob trees , or a dozen small traditional oil mills are still active .
The waterfalls of Ouzoud have recently become accessible from the small town of Aït Aâtab (about 25 km) from Beni Mellal or Marrakech through the sugar city of Oulad Ayad (province of Fquih Ben Salah ).
The preserved attraction, calm and natural, entirely pedestrian, offers many campsites in basic cabins / huts rudimentary in bamboo and reed , bathing places, small restaurants in terrace kitchen Berber, shopping for crafts Berber Middle Atlas, the Along a pedestrian path that descends to the foot of the waterfall. The site is animated among others by some groups of Berber macaques in freedom .

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Dakhla


Dakhla (Arabic: الداخلة‎‎)is a city in Western Sahara, a disputed territory currently administered by Morocco. It is the capital of the Moroccan administrative region Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab. It has a population of 106,277 and is built on a narrow peninsula of the Atlantic Coast (es:Península de Río de Oro) about 550 km south of Laayoune.
The main economic activity of the city is fishing and tourism. In recent years the town has become a centre for aquatic sports, such as kitesurfing, windsurfing and surf casting and is known as a centre for watersports.
Golfo de Cintra and the World Heritage of the Banc d'Arguin National Park are located in the south.
Like most areas in Western Sahara, Dakhla and vicinity areas are very poor in vegetation and are mostly covered by the Sahara Desert. Unlike on land however, sea waters are or had been very rich in sea life due to the highly productive Current System of Canary flowing offshore and the renown Nouadhibou upwelling which is located nearby as well. These environmental factors provide excellent conditions for local fisheries, and result in strong local biodiversity for birds in particular. Among this, there has been a UNESCO proposal to create the "Dakhla National Park".
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Akchour


Akchour is a small village in Morocco , 30 km from Chefchaouen on the road to Oued Laou .
Located in northern Morocco at the bottom of the Talembote valley , Akchour is a natural valley attracting more and more tourists since the opening of the natural park of Talassemtane .


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Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen or Chaouen (Arabic: شفشاون/الشاون‎‎, Shafshāwan) is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief town of the province of the same name, and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue.
Chefchaouen is situated in the Rif Mountains, just inland from Tangier and Tetouan. The city was founded in 1471,as  a small fortress which still exists to this day, by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rached El Alami (a descendant of Ibn Machich and Idris I, and through them, of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) to fight the Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco.Along with the Ghomara tribes of the region, many Moriscos and Jews settled here after the Spanish Reconquista in medieval times.In 1920, the Spanish seized Chefchaouen to form part of Spanish Morocco. Spanish troops imprisoned Abd el-Krim in the kasbah from 1916 to 1917, after he talked with the German consul Dr. Walter Zechlin (1879–1962). (After defeating him with the help of the French, Abd el-Krim was deported to Réunion in 1926.) Spain returned the city after the independence of Morocco in 1956.
Chefchaouen or Chaouen, as it is often called by Moroccans, is a popular tourist destination because of its proximity to Tangier and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The name refers to the shape of the mountain tops above the town, that look like the two horns (chaoua) of a goat. "Chef Chaouen" derives from the Berber word for horns, Ichawen. There are approximately two hundred hotels catering to the summer influx of European tourists. One distinction possessed by Chefchaouen is its blue-rinsed houses and buildings.
Chefchaouen is a popular shopping destination as well, as it offers many native handicrafts that are not available elsewhere in Morocco, such as wool garments and woven blankets. The goat cheese native to the area is also popular with tourists.
The countryside around it has a reputation for being a prolific source of kief. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco. Hashish is subsequently sold all over town, but is mostly the domain of native Chaouenis. A nearby attraction is the Kef Toghobeit Cave which is one of the deepest caves in Africa.
Chefchaouen's blue walls are a popular subject of interest. There are several theories as to why the walls were painted blue. One popular theory is that the blue keeps mosquitos away, another is that Jews introduced the blue when they took refuge from Hitler in the 1930s. The blue is said to symbolize the sky and heaven, and serve as a reminder to lead a spiritual life.
The growing tourist industry is geared especially towards Spanish tourists, who are especially numerous during great Catholic feasts like Semana Santa and Christmas.
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Rabat

Rabat (Arabic: الرِّبَاط‎‎) is the capital of Morocco and its seventh largest city centre with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. It is also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra administrative region.
The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, the city's main commuter town. Rabat, Temara, and Salé form a conurbation of over 1.8 million people. Silt-related problems have diminished Rabat's role as a port; however, Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile, food processing and construction industries. In addition, tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country.
Once a reputed corsair haven, Rabat served as one of the many ports in North Africa for the Barbary pirates, who were particularly active from the 16th through the 18th centuries.
Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat–Salé Airport.
The Moroccan capital was ranked at second place by CNN in its "Top Travel Destinations of 2013".It is one of four Imperial cities of Morocco, and the medina of Rabat is listed as a World Heritage Site.

  • Culture

  • The biggest place for theatre is the Theatre Mohammed V in the centre of the town.
    The city has a few official galleries and an archeological museum.
    Many organizations are active in cultural and social issues. Orient-Occident Foundation and ONA Foundation are the biggest of these. An independent art scene is active in the city. L'appartement 22, which is the first independent space for visual arts created by Abdellah Karroum, opened in 2002 and introduced international and local artists. Other independent spaces opened few years after, such as Le Cube, also set up in a private space.

  • Mawazine

  • Mawazine is a music festival in Rabat welcomed by Mohammed VI King of Morocco, that started in 2001 where music groups, fans and spectators come together in a week-long celebration of culture and music both locally and internationally. Musicians such as Scorpions, Rihanna, Elton John, Stromae and many others have performed at the festival.
    Mawazine was host to more than 2,500,000 in 2013. Workshops are available for teaching dances and other arts. The festival is free. However, while most areas are free, there are those that require payment, specifically the smaller stages being the historical site of Chellah, the Mohammed V National Theater, and the Renaissance Cultural Center.
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    Saturday, May 6, 2017

    Agadir

    Agadir (Arabic: أكادير‎) is a major city in Morocco, located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Sous River flows into the ocean. It is at a distance of 508 km to the south of Casablanca. It is the capital of the Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane Prefecture and of the Souss-Massa economic region. A majority of its inhabitants speak Shilha/Tashelhit, a Berber language of the Atlas branch, as their first language.
    The name Agadir is a common Berber noun agadir meaning "wall, enclosure, fortified building, citadel". This noun is attested in most Berber languages,and may be a loanword from Phoenician-Punic, a Semitic language spoken in North-Africa until the fifth century CE.

    There are many more towns in Morocco called Agadir. The city of Agadir's full name in Tashelhit is Agadir n Yighir, literally "the fortress of the cape", referring to the nearby promontory named Cape Rhir on maps (a pleonastic name, literally "Cape Cape").

    A single male inhabitant or native of the town is known in Tashelhit as a gg ugadir (also a common surname, "Gougadir" in French spelling), plural ayt ugadir "men of Agadir" (also collective name, "men and women of Agadir, people of Agadir"); a single feminine inhabitant is a ult ugadir "woman of Agadir", plural ist ugadir "women of Agadir". In Moroccan Arabic, an inhabitant is a gadiri, plural gadiriyin, feminine gadiriya, plural gadiriyat.

    The Timitar festival, a festival of Amazigh and music from around the world, has been held in Agadir every summer since its inception in July 2004.
    The Morocco Movement association is involved in the arts and organizes concerts, exhibitions and meetings in the visual arts, design, music, graphic design, photography, environment and health
    Other cultural events in Agadir are:
  • Noiz Makerz concert of urban music.
  • Breaking South national break-dancing championship
  • International Documentary Film Festival in November (FIDADOC)
  • Film Festival for immigration
  • International Festival of University Theatre of Agadir
  • Concert for Tolerance (November)
  • Festival of Laughter
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    Essaouira

    Essaouira (Arabic: الصويرة‎‎; Berber: Mugadur), formerly known as Mogador, is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakesh-Safi, on the Atlantic coast. The modern name means "the little rampart", a reference to the fortress walls that still enclose part of the city.
    Essaouira is protected by a natural bay partially shielded from wave action by the Iles Purpuraires. A broad sandy beach extends from the harbour south of Essaourira, at which point the Oued Ksob discharges to the ocean; south of the discharge lies the archaeological ruin, the Bordj El Berod.The Canary Current is responsible for the generally southward movement of ocean circulation and has led to enhancement of the local fishery.The village of Diabat lies about five kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Essaouira, immediately south of the Oued Ksob.
    Essaouira connects to Safi to the north and to Agadir to the south via the N1 road and to Marrakech to the east via the R 207 road. There is a small airport some 7 to 8 km (4 to 5 mi) away from the town, which schedules several flights a week to Paris-Orly and daily to Casablanca.
    Essaouira presents itself as a city full of culture: several small art galleries are found all over the town. Since 1998, the Gnaoua Festival of World Music is held in Essaouira, normally in the last week of June. It brings together artists from all over the world. Although focussed on gnaoua music, it includes rock, jazz and reggae. Dubbed as the "Moroccan Woodstock" it lasts four days and attracts annually around 450,000 spectators.
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    Friday, May 5, 2017

    Marrakech


    Marrakech (in Arabic: مراكش,), nicknamed the Red City (in Arabic: red city) or city Mgharwih, is a city located in the center of Morocco, the interior, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. 

    Red City title refers to the red color of many buildings and homes. 
    The city was founded in 1071 by Yusuf ibn Yasin , as is Senhaji, at the head of the Berber Empire stationed. In the past, Morocco was known in the East under the name of Marrakech ( the name still exists in Iran); the name of Morocco comes from the deformation of the Portuguese pronunciation of Marrakech: Marrocos. 
    Marrakech counts 928 850 inhabitants, according to the census of 2014, and extends over an area of 230 km population density 2.THE up to 350 people per hectare in the city of Medina. It is the largest city in Morocco after the fourth Casablanca, Fez and Tangiers. 
    The city is divided into two distinct parts: the historical city (ten kilometers speaker), the new city called Guéliz and Hivernage Askar roundabout Sidi Youssef Ben Ali, Mouhamid, Daoudiat key areas. Today guéliz is the commercial center of the city. Founded by the French during the protectorate. Hivernage neighborhood focus of many resorts. In recent years, the city is expanding in the suburbs, especially in the West with the emergence of new residential areas , such as the Targa area or extension of Avenue Mohammed VI or north Tamansourt.
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