05The story
Cities and citadels through the centuries
From a Roman city among olive groves to earthen ksars and living markets: milestones of Moroccan heritage in architecture and cities.
3rd century BC
Volubilis near Meknes begins to grow; it later became a large Roman city with mosaic floors.
789
Fez is founded as the Idrisid capital.
857
Fatima al-Fihri founds al-Qarawiyyin in Fez.
c. 1070
Marrakesh is founded as the Almoravid capital.
1170
The Almohads make Rabat a naval base named Ribat al-Fath.
c. 1195
The Koutoubia minaret in Marrakesh is completed.
1350
Work begins on the Bou Inania Madrasa in Fez.
1471
The kasbah of Chefchaouen is founded in the Rif Mountains.
1564
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is built in Marrakesh, in its day the largest in the Maghreb.
1760
Essaouira is laid out as an Atlantic port.
1894
The Bahia Palace in Marrakesh is expanded, until 1900.
1981
The medina of Fez becomes Morocco's first World Heritage Site.
1987
The ksar of Aït Benhaddou joins the World Heritage List.
2008
The cultural space of Jemaa el-Fnaa joins the intangible heritage list.
2020
Couscous joins the intangible heritage list, shared with Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania.