Shefshauen – City of Heavenly Color

I learned about this place in 2012, preparing for our first journey to Morocco. I remember well, when I saw in the network of photos of bright blue tones, the first thing I thought about the technical marriage and violation of the color balance. Too unusual they looked. However, having visited the blue city twice, I was convinced that this amazing place exists in reality ..
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So, Shefshauen is the famous blue city, located among the gentle slopes of the reef mountains in the north of Morocco.

The city is primarily known for its historical part – the medina, where the walls of houses painted with saturated cold shades of blue are harmoniously combined with warm orange tones of roofs, stairs and other decor elements. Here you can wander the clock, enjoying the color palette and measured atmosphere ..

The history of the city begins in 1471, when Emir Moulula Ali-Ben-Moussa-Ben-Rashid-Allas founded the first mosque at the location of a small Berber village and a powerful fortress to protect from the Portuguese invaders who were fixed then in the north of Suns in the city of South.

But with its unique appearance, the city is obliged to Andalusian Jews, who settled in Shefshana after the expulsion of them from Spain in 1492. According to biblical covenants, blue and blue shades should symbolize the prayer bedspread Talitov (Tales) and remind of God.

Today, the Jews have no longer left here, but local residents continue to be established tradition and regularly update the walls of fresh paint, t.To. It serves as a powerful impulse to attract tourists.

An interesting fact is that for a long time the city has been declared a sacred place and a visit to his inviets was forbidden under death.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, only three Europeans visited Chefchauen. And it is despite its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar Strait, Spain and Portugal!
The first, was the famous French researcher of Africa and a missionary Charles Eugecauld (Charles Eugene de Foucauld, 1858-1916), who arrived in Shefshauen in 1883 for only one hour and disguised as rabbi. The second, was the correspondent of London "The Times" Walter Harris (Walter Harris), who traveled in Morocco in the late 1880s. He penetrated the city under the guise of the Moorish merchant and lived there for some time as a tramp. The third lucky less than all. It was the American missionary William Summers (William Summers), which during his visit to the city in 1892 was poisoned.
And only after the French-Spanish agreement of November 27, 1912, Spanish troops entered the Shepherd, opening it in this way for the outside world.

As you know, there are where tourists always boil trading. Chefchauen – no exception. In Medina, everywhere can be found in an open sale of different souvenir products and wool products (carpets, clothing and t.D.) bright colors and drawings.

Cote. As in all Morocco, there are a lot of homeless cats here.

And the fan of heavy rock probably lives in this courtyard 🙂

Unlike other Moroccan cities, Medina Shefshauan is very clean (the city even received a national premium for sanitation). In addition, it is also inhabited, that is, it is primarily a residential quarter.