If there is a place where the authentic Moroccan essence can be found despite the passage of the centuries, it is Tetouan, an Andalusian city in the North of Morocco known as The White Dove or Granada´s Daughter.
Tetouan, the cradle of craftwork, is the city where Muslims and Jews settled after the fall of Granada in 1492. In addition, Tetouan is the city of the aristocracy, where all Andalusian heritage is concentrated and where time has made his marks, showing an incredible cultural legacy.
The particular streets, the valleys and the serenity of all his corners makes Tetouan alabyrinth where we will lose time perception and enjoy the Moroccan life.
Its easily recognizable green and white houses, its crenelated walls and shadow
squares form the Medina, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1997,
which is surrounded by 5 kilometres of wall and has seven gates with legends that reveal the history of the city and the successive waves of immigration. These gates are Bab El Oqla, Bab Saaida, Bab Mqabare, Bad Ejjyafe, Bab Nouader, Bad Toute and Bab Remouz.
In fact, the Medina is the liveliest place. The souks are at sufficient distance between them and well defined, with a great quantity of luxury products workshop as artisan jewellery stores. Furthermore, inside the old town, we can discover the Mellah, the great Jewish neighbourhood, which has coexisted with its synagogues in harmony with the rest of the city for centuries.
On the other hand, some monuments like the Palace Square, where the Real Palace is located and where Mohamed V Avenue starts, with views to the Old Spanish Casino,Dar Tair and The Public Library; and The Moulay El Mehdi Square, where we can find The Lady of Our Victory Church, are great examples of Moorish Arquitecture and show the amazing cultural legacy of the city.
The same legacy can be contemplated in all its plenitude in architectonical gems like the National Art Institute or Dar Sanaa that shows the Tetouan´s beauty.