Chefchaouen, also known as Chaouen, 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 just inland from Tangier and Tétouan.
The city was founded in 1471 as a small kasbah (fortress) by Moulay Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, a descendant of Abd as-Salam al-Alami and Idris I, and through them, of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Al-Alami founded the city 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. Spain returned the city after the independence of Morocco in 1956.
Chefchaouen. (1013k) Chefchaouen with a cemetery in the foreground. (1125k) Entrance to the Hotel Dar Echchaoun. (718k) Hotel Dar Echchaoun. (1055k) View of Chefchaouen from the hotel. (1011k) View of Chefchaouen at night. (629k) This was my view of Chefchaouen in the morning. (534k) View of Chefchaouen from the kasbah (fortress). (1019k) Closer view of the medina of Chefchaouen. (1069k) Close-up of the medina of Chefchaouen with part of the medina wall and an entrance gate. (964k) Mosque in Chefchaouen. (799k) Mosque in Chefchaouen with octagonal tower. (567k) Mosque Bouzâafar, overlooking Chefchaouen. (783k) Kasbah (fortress) in Chefchaouen. (1021k) Kasbah (fortress) in Chefchaouen. (828k) Kasbah (fortress) in Chefchaouen. (713k) Gnarly tree in Chefchaouen. (1147k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (952k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (805k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (836k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (870k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (819k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (782k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (897k) Alley in Chefchaouen. (1004k) Passage in Chefchaouen. (588k) Passage in Chefchaouen. (572k) Fountain in Chefchaouen. (1001k) Fountain in Chefchaouen. (934k) Fountain in Chefchaouen. (784k) Wall mosaics in Chefchaouen. (988k) House in Chefchaouen. (896k) House in Chefchaouen. (857k) Door in Chefchaouen. (697k) Door in Chefchaouen. This house was not as well maintained as most others. (948k) Brook flowing through Chefchaouen. (1301k) Public laundry station on the brook in Chefchaouen. (996k) Woman doing laundry at the public laundry station. (872k)
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