Tetouan

About

Tetouan as it stands today dates back to the 15th century when it was re-built and fortified by Ali al-Mandri who had emigrated from the Andalusian city of Granada shortly before the Reconquest. Thousands of Muslims and Jews from Andalucia followed suit, and it’s even nicknamed Little Jerusalem by Sephardi Jews. Tetouan’s ties to Spain were further strengthened when it was made the capital of the Spanish protectorate of Morocco in 1913. While the medina is one of the smallest in Morocco, it’s one of the most complete and unaltered, not to mention distinctive for its Andalusian styling, which has earned it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking through the narrow streets up the hill you’re treated to a marriage of Moroccan and Andalusian architecture, with white walls, arabic arches, and even a Catholic church amongst the mosques.