Religious, Spiritual sights in Morocco
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Hassan II Mosque
The crowning achievement of King Hassan II, this phenomenal building is the world's third-largest mosque. It was built to commemorate the former king's 60th birthday and rises above the ocean on a rocky outcrop reclaimed from the sea. It's a vast building that can hold 25,000 worshippers and accommodate a further 80,000 in its courtyards.
Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, the mosque is topped by a soaring 210m (689ft)minaret, which shines a laser beam towards Mecca by night. In addition to this high-tech call to prayer, the mosque also has a centrally heated floor, electric doors, a retractable roof and a section of glass flooring allowing the faithful to see t…
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Fès el-Bali
The medina of Fès el-Bari (Old Fès) is the largest living medieval city in the world. Its incredible maze of 9400 twisting alleys, blind turns and souqs are crammed with shops, restaurants, workshops, mosques, medersas (theological colleges), dye pits and tanneries. A riot of sights, sounds and smells, 21st-century Fès is groaning at its 9th-century seams.
Despite its designation as a World Heritage site, investment has been slow to follow. While the chic cafe-lined boulevards of the ville nouvelle provide a stark contrast, many young Fassis remain jobless, and the bright lights disguise the sad lot of the poorer people living on the periphery.
For the short-term visit…
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residence of the naib
A few doors down from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, at No 41 on Rue as-Siaghin in the medina, is the old residence of the naib , who was the point of contact between the Moroccan leader and European legations until 1923. Inside is a small courtyard filled with orange trees. Another reminder of international Tangier is the huge painted sign for the British Bank of West Africa on a nearby wall. Continue downhill to emerge onto the Petit Socco.
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St Andrew’s Church
A short walk down Rue d’Angleterre brings you to one of the more charming oddities of Tangier, St Andrew’s Church. Built from 1894 to 1905, on land granted by Queen Victoria, the interior of this Anglican church is in Moorish style, with no graven images, and the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic. Behind the altar is a cleft that indicates the direction of Mecca; carved quotes are from the Koran. What were the local builders thinking?
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Mausoleum of Sidi ben Aïssa
If you exit the medina via Bab Berrima and follow the lane north, hugging the outside of the city wall, you'll eventually come across workers busily stuffing mattresses. A left turn here takes you northwest to the newly restored mausoleum of Sidi ben Aïssa . Sidi ben Aïssa gave rise to one of the more extreme religious fraternities in Morocco. His followers gather here in July from all over Morocco and further afield.
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Ermita de San Antonio
This convent, originally built in the 17th century and reconstructed in the 1960s, is worth visiting for the magnificent views over Ceuta and north to Gibraltar. To find the convent, follow the main road clockwise around the peninsula 2.5km to Parque de San Amaro and a small zoo. Take one of the paths leading up steeply into a bowl of hills, and veering eastwards, and you should come out on a lane below the convent.
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Grande Mosquée
From the Petit Socco in the medina, Rue Jemaa el-Kebir (formerly Rue de la Marine) leads east past the Grande Mosquée. It is said to have been the site of a Roman temple, and at one time housed a church built by the Portuguese. A little further on you reach a scenic overlook over the port.
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Seffarine Medersa
Built in 1270 and still in use today, this is the oldest of the Merinid medersas in Fez. The prayer hall contains what's thought to be the oldest mihrab in the city. It has a minaret with colourful zellij. There's a rectangular pool in the central courtyard.
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Grande Mosquée
Noteworthy for its unusual octagonal tower, the Grande Mosquée was built in the 15th century by the son of the town's founder, Ali ben Rachid. It is closed to non-Muslims. The mosque also has a striking terracotta-tiled roof, best seen from the tower of the kasbah.
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Mahakma du Pasha
To the south of the Quartier Habous (Nouvelle Medina) is the old Mahakma du Pasha, which has more than 60 rooms decorated with sculpted wooden ceilings, stuccowork, wrought-iron railings and earthenware floors.
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Church of the Immaculate Conception
Heading down Rue as-Siaghin from the gateway of the medina, you soon pass the lovely Spanish Church of the Immaculate Conception on your right, built in 1880 when Spaniards comprised one-fifth of Tangier's population.
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Grande Mosquée
This mosque, a 14th-century Merenid original much rebuilt in the intervening years, is just down the road from the Souq as-Sebbat on the right hand side.
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Cathedral Santa Maria de la Asuncion
The 17th century, twin-spired Cathedral Santa Maria de la Asuncion has a museum which was under renovation at time of research.
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Grande Mosquée
Of the many mosques in the area, this is one of the most impressive. Non-Muslims are not usually allowed to enter the mosques.
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Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Africa
The striking yellow Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Africa is an 18th-century Andalucian-style church.
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Saidi Mosque
It's customary that non-Muslims do not enter the mosque but, even from the outside, this is an impressive sight.
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Chleuh Mosque
The old city's main Friday mosque is the Chleuh Mosque along Rue Chakab Arsalane in the old medina.
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