The Medina and the Kasbah

The Medina to the traveler means the place to buy souvenirs for a bargain. In Hebrew medina means nation and in Arabic it means neighborhood or community. In Morocco the medina is the old part of town, typically walled with narrow streets, sometimes fountains, palaces, and mosques. People actually live their daily lives there without even needing to leave through the gates.

The kasbah can be found within the medina or on its own. In Arabic it can refer to a walled fortress or a self contained old town. It was usually the home of the local leader and usually looks like a castle, and were places of refuge for people and animals from the cold and threats to safety.

Medina of Asillah is walled, and is on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The white buildings are distinctive for coastal areas.

Medina in Asillah, includes quite a few shops both for wares to sell to tourists as well as services and food for locals.

Restoration of many buildings in the medina of Tangiers. Compared to others very orderly and clean.

Gates can be found in the walls of the medina and depending on the size there are multiple entry and exit points. Cars and most motorized vehicles are not able to enter. The medina in Tangiers has gates passing onto the sea and the port and those passing into the new city which has buildings from the 17th century to the present day.

In Chefchaouen, the blue is repainted. The multiple hues make this medina unique.

The medina in Marrakesh has souks (markets) that are divided by what they sell. Being there on a Friday when people generally don't open their shops until late in the day if at all it's easier to see how they are organized. Notice particularly how the posts hold up the cross pieces for the cloth shades.

The iron workers section of the medina in Marrakesh.

Fortunately the medina in Marrakesh has slightly wider streets since motorcycles are not only allowed but careen through fairly out of control. There are many people with injuries walking around.

The Kasbah Amirdil in Skoura could easily be mistaken for a Pueblo site in New Mexico. Skoura is a fertile oasis with groves of date palms. There are many kasbahs here that have been completely or partially restored. This one is now a hotel. Notice the towers at the four corners topped with something called merlons, rising above the height of the walls.

Here you can see partial renovation and partial destruction of a kasbah. These structures are made from mud brick straw and plaster. They require constant replastering to keep them from completely collapsing.

This kasbah partially restored and partially untouched since it was abandoned in 1956 is a good example of the exterior and interior of one. It was the home of Thami El Glaoui also known as the Pasha of Marrakesh. This kasbah is the Kasbah of Telouet located in the high Atlas before it descends towards Marrakesh. This was his principal residence though his family also owned the Kasbah in Skoura you just saw.

First notice the stork nest on the far tower. There are stork nests everywhere in this country. Amazing large birds with huge nests. Until the middle of the 20th century Morocco was a feudal system, Sultan at the top, vizier (court) under him, then pashas who collected taxes. The Glaoui family controlled caravan crossroads across the Atlas mountains from Africa to the coast so they were extremely wealthy. It all went well until the Pasha of Marrakesh decided to side with the French when they arrived in 1912. Shortly after they were expelled in 1956, the pasha died and his entire family was exiled to France.

Since 2010 efforts have been made to restore and save the section of the kasbah that has not fall totally into ruin. The floors are a faux marble made from egg white and plaster.

The pasha collected taxes but also traded salt from the nearby salt mines for diamonds, gold, and silver.

All materials and craftsmanship came from local sources except for the Italian Carrara marble for the floors inside the private rooms, the only rooms still intact.

The kasbah pulls together all the designs and media we've been seeing in Morocco. The zellij tile frames these intricately painted doors with inlaid gold and silver.

Some window frames were also carved and then inlaid with gold and silver.

Enjoy the next few slides which are close ups of the amazing decorations of this kasbah.

Upper walls are carved plaster with different patterns in each room.

This is a private dwelling so the patterns are all geometric patterns and natural flora. There are no calligraphic verses carved in.

The painted plaques represent the symbols of all the tribes in the region.

The dumb waiter, just in case you forgot this was someone's house and they needed to get the food up and down easier than climbing 4 or 5 floors every time.

Ceiling in the reception room in the shape of an upside down boat.

The vantage point from which the pasha could see caravans coming and going.

In the 7th century BCE the Phoenicians founded a base in Essaouira, the Portuguese established a trading and military base here in the 15th century and named it Mogador.

The fortifications and ramparts around the medina on the ocean side were not built until 1760. A French architect names Cornut who had worked for Louis XV was the designer. The square crenellations are more Islamic in style than others around the country.

Talk about a tight fit, that cart scraped both sides before exiting.