Morocco History and Culture

The Amazigh (Berber) peoples have lived across North Africa for thousands of years, and their language, jewelry and village architecture still shape the country. Phoenician traders set up ports along the coast, and later the Roman city of Volubilis, near Meknes, grew rich on olive oil; its mosaics remain beautifully preserved.

From the late 8th century the Idrisid dynasty founded Fes and brought Islam and Arabic learning to the heart of the country. A sequence of great dynasties followed: the Almoravids, who founded Marrakech; the Almohads, who raised the Koutoubia minaret and Rabat's Hassan Tower; the Merinids, whose carved madrasas in Fes are among the finest buildings in North Africa; and the Saadians, whose jewel-box tombs still stand in Marrakech.

The Alaouite dynasty has reigned since the 17th century, making it one of the world's oldest ruling houses; Moulay Ismail built the vast imperial city of Meknes. Morocco became independent in 1956 and today blends deep tradition with a forward-looking economy. Read more on the royal family of Morocco and the wider history of the Middle East and North Africa.

Moroccan craft is a living art. Zellige, the hand-cut geometric tilework, covers fountains and courtyards; carved cedar and sculpted plaster frame doorways; and the tanneries of Fes still dye leather in stone vats, as they have for centuries. Rugs from the Middle and High Atlas, each pattern tied to a tribe or region, are prized by collectors worldwide. See how these traditions fit the bigger picture of Islamic art and architecture.

Music is everywhere: the spiritual rhythms of Gnawa in Essaouira, Andalusian orchestras in Fes and Tetouan, and Amazigh ahwash dances in the mountains. The riad, a house turned inward around a garden courtyard, is Morocco's great gift to hospitality, and staying in one is among the best things to do in Marrakech.

Morocco was among the first nations to recognize the United States, in 1777, and the Tangier American Legation is the oldest American diplomatic property in the world. Al Quaraouiyine in Fes is often cited as the oldest continuously operating university, founded by a woman. Argan oil comes from trees that grow almost nowhere else but southwestern Morocco. Ready to see it for yourself? Start with our Morocco luxury travel guide, then wander the medina of Fes.