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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Volubilis 1

    1 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Volubilis is a partly excavated Berber city in Morocco situated near the city of Meknes, and commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. Built in a fertile agricultural area, it developed from the 3rd century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. The city gained a number of major public buildings in the 2nd century, including a basilica, temple and triumphal arch. Its prosperity, which was derived principally from olive growing, prompted the construction of many fine town-houses with large mosaic floors.Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Volubilis 3

    1 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    The ruins remained substantially intact until they were devastated by an earthquake in the mid-18th century and subsequently looted by Moroccan rulers seeking stone for building Meknes. It was not until the latter part of the 19th century that the site was definitively identified as that of the ancient city of Volubilis. During and after the period of French rule over Morocco, about half of the site was excavated, revealing many fine mosaics, and some of the more prominent public buildings and high-status houses were restored or reconstructed. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed for being "an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire".Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Meknes

    1 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Meknes is a city in northern Morocco. It’s known for its imperial past, with remnants including Bab Mansour, a huge gate with arches and mosaic tiling. The gate leads into the former imperial city. The Mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made the city his capital in the 17th century, has courtyards and fountains. To the south is a vast structure once used as stables and for food storage.

    The horse-driven water wheel would have once drawn up buckets of water from the cistern.    Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Meknes 1

    1 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Beyond the granary lie the stables, with row upon row set at angles to give the stable masters maximum visibility of their steeds across a huge area.

    The Royal Stables in Meknes are an amazing site, as this massive stable yard was constructed to comfortably house no less that twelve thousand of the royal horses. Ismail had a great respect and admiration for these gracious animals, even more than he did for his human counterparts. His horses were waited on hand and foot, with a groom and a slave for each horse, to ensure that all their needs were met, stables kept in immaculate condition and his horses being taken care of. It is even said that after a horse had completed a journey to Mecca, slaves were forced to catch the urine in a bowl, as even the earth was too undeserving for the horse to urinate on. It is easy to say that Moulay Ismail was fanatical about his horses.

    Today, most of the stables are in ruin and due to an earthquake during the eighteenth century, the roof of the stables no longer provides protection. Even though it is not in the pristine condition that Ismail would have approved of, visitors will still be amazed at its sheer size and the effort that was put into the construction. A few horses are still kept here, purely for tourists, so they are able to familiarize themselves with the breeds such as Berbers, Arabs and Berber Arab crosses that once filled the stable yard.

    Another feature that makes the Royal Stables in Meknes one of the finest tourist attractions in Morocco is the planning and location that was specifically chosen to accommodate the horses. There is a canal that ran fresh water through the stables constantly, so the horses never lacked clean water. Also, the sultan was concerned about the feed supply for his stables, and constructed a granary, known as the Water Palace (Der el Ma), behind the royal stables. The granaries were built on a reservoir and were designed to be able to store grain for the horse feed. To feed twelve thousand horses is already a great feat, but the granaries stored enough grain to feed the horses for twenty years! To store such large amounts of grain, the granaries needed to be kept cold, and for this, the granaries were constructed with thick walls and a suspended forest was grown on the roof. Water from the reservoir below, was forced through ducts in the floor, to maintain a low temperature and keep the grain from rotting.

    The ruins are testament to the sultan’s love for his horses and the great lengths he went to, to ensure that they lived comfortably and were well fed. Filmmakers have also marveled at this amazing structure, which led to scenes from the movies Ishtar and The Jewel of the Nile, being filmed here. It is a magnificent sight and a spectacular part of the history of Morocco.    Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen
    Man made bay of water

    Meknes 2

    1 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Adjacent to the Heri Es Souani lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the Agdal Basin, built in the 18th century as both a reservoir for Moulay Ismail's gardens and a pleasure lake. Originally it was surrounded by high walls and fed by a complex system of wells and aqueducts. Today the water is stagnant, but it's still a pleasant place for photos, perhaps by the Giacometti-like statue of a traditional water-seller that sits at one corner.Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Scenic Drive to Erfoud

    2 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    Today our transfer from Fez to Erfoud will involve a long bus ride, covering approximately 300 miles through the Middle Atlas Mountain range, over roads that may be bumpy, uneven, steep, and winding. Our total transfer time is up to 9 hours, especially in winter when road closures may lead to unexpected detours. We will break up the long transfer with stops along the way.
    We board our bus to drive across the Middle Atlas mountain range, winding through beautiful pine groves and giant cedar forests. The contrast of the rich purple soil and the tall evergreens is magniicent. We cross a 6,000-foot pass in the mountains and head further toward the Sahara. This is a long, but fascinating transfer as we witness the varied geologic and ecological zones we travel through. Along the way, we’ll briely stop in the ski resort town of Ifrane and in Midelt.    Читать далее

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  • Linda FrandsenMoroccoLinda Frandsen

    Lunch

    2 января 2020 г., Марокко ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    The hotel is located Taddamoute, 6 km from Midelt, across the mountains of Ayachi.

    The trout was recommended and was perfectly cooked and very tasty. Good restaurant to have lunch. the staff is very professional and give excellent service.

    The dessert was a very tasty apple tart that was made with thin sliced apples in a custard filling with a flaky crust.    Читать далее

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