This Blissful Moroccan Architecture Will Steal Your Heart

It's an architecture that reflects the long and complex history of Morocco, a country that's been a crossroads of culture for centuries. Its main design elements include sharp white walls, stucco roofs among the arches, and large domes. Moroccan architecture is a tapestry of influences, starting with the Berbers, Muslims, Hispano-moor, French, and many more. In this blog post, we’ll take a visual journey through some examples of Morocco’s most stunning architecture.

The oldest examples of Moroccan architecture tend to be found in the Atlas Mountains and old villages. You can experience Moroccan design as well by walking down any street and looking at the many grand government buildings with their stately façades or walking through ancient city gates with their remarkable archways. The diverse architectural styles and elements can become somewhat overwhelming; however, we gathered some of the main ones below for you.

 Mosques in Morocco

 Mosques are like in any Islamic country Morocco’s most important structures. Seen in every city, village, or town, you will always find at least one mosque with its minaret tower been seen for miles. The walls and fountains covered in green and white zellij, and beautifully adorned mirhab, indicating the direction to Mecca in stucco and marble, are a true indicator of Moroccan architecture. Examples of beautiful Moroccan mosques can be admired on a visit to the spiritual city of Fez in particular the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque.

 Madrasah

Yet another fine example of the beautiful Islamic-influenced architecture is the madrasah. They are more than just religious schools but were truly prospering centers for the study of law, philosophy, and astrology. Unique architectural designs display a rich contrast with the small simple wooden accommodation rooms for the students to the adorned gate and a large courtyard lined with magnificently decorated arches with detailed artworks. The mosque within the school walls would also be exquisitely decorated in sweeping Islamic calligraphy and complex motifs on green and white zellij. The Madrasah Bou Inania in Fez is in our opinion well worth a visit.

 Kasbahs

The fortified medina part of the city with its impressive size and structure were built in agreement with their surroundings, the huge outside walls blending into the background with their tan-colored exterior. The use of simple construction materials allowed for the interiors to remain warm in winter and cool in the hotter months. To see a fine example of Kasbahs, the Kasbah des Udayas in Rabat should be on your list of places to see. In the picture below, you can also see the marvel of southern Morocco, Draa Valley, the Sahara Desert gate, and ancient caravan routes.

 Riads

Riads are private residences, traditional homes, and palaces in Morocco. They were built with privacy and seclusion at the forefront of the design, focusing inwards with a courtyard, in the center, allowing for both family privacy and protection from the Moroccan weather. All the rooms open out onto the courtyard featuring windows towards this space. Courtyards were usually decorated with orange or lemon trees for their sweet scent, and often a fountain was constructed in the center. Wealthy families would also decorate their Riad with impressive zellij and stuccowork. In modern Morocco, many of the ancient Riads have been renovated and repurposed as hotels and restaurants.

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