Riads are an essential part of Moroccan culture, and offer a wonderful cross-section view of Moroccan life. Very similar to a gujarati/rajasthani courtyard house in principle, it consists of a central courtyard with overlooked by balconies on all four sides. The outside of the building is unadorned, with all the intricate mosaic work reserved for the insides. The courtyard often has a fountain and trees, the narrow staircases showcase beautiful moroccan pottery, murals, silverware and the like, and are filled with the aroma of home cooking.
Many riads today have been converted from private residences into guest houses, and hence offer the tourist a wonderful window into this typical moroccan architecture.
Another very important feature which dots the moroccan countryside is the Kasbah. Essentially it is a walled clay fortress, most of them strung out overlooking the ancient caravan trade routes from the Sahara desert through the Atlas mountains towards the Atlantic coast.
Many Kasbahs are abandoned today, to be replaced by more modern buildings, often right next to the original Kasbah itself. Some of the most important ones are conserved, the most striking of which is perhaps the Ait Ben Haddou. This Kasbah has been used as the site for a number of famous hollywood movies. Today, it is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Another important site is the Kasbah of Telouet, ertwhile stronghold of the Pasha El Gloui, once one of the most powerful families in southern Morocco and vassal of the Sultan.
A fallout with the current ruling dynasty lead to a downfall of the El Gloui family fortunes. As a result the Kasbah is today rather dilapidated and not well looked after by the government, but still offers a wonderful echo of history for the traveller. The latticed windows looking out over the dramatic High Atlas themselves make the place worth a visit!
1 comment:
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