World Heritage Sites in Morocco

Explore the Wonders of Morocco's World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites are sites in certain countries that have been deemed by UNESCO to be of outstanding cultural or natural importance. This value is universal and so preserving such sites is seen as being beneficial to the entire world’s population. Most of the cultural heritage sites are historical in nature and provide evidence of the way early cultures lived their day-to-day lives. These sites provide a wealth of information and form part of a world of history that would remain dead and buried were it not for the discovery and study of such amazing archaeological ruins. There are as many as eight designated World Heritage Sites in Morocco.

The first is the Archaelogical Site of Volubilis. These ancient Roman ruins were inscribed on the World Heritage Site's list in 1997 and were originally part of the Mauritanian capital that was founded here in 3 BC. At one stage Volubilis was graced with many stunning buildings, but today all that remains of these are the ruins found in a fertile agricultural area near Meknes. The impressive historical city of Meknes has also made it onto this impressive list. Founded in the 11th century as a military settlement, this great city later became a beautiful city filled with Spanish-Moorish styled architecture. Much of this is still present today.

Long before it was seen fit to make Meknes and Volubilis a World Heritage Site, Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou was inscribed on the list. This amazing group of earthen buildings is a striking example of the ancient and practical architecture used in the southern parts of Morocco. Situated in the Quarzazate province, the buildings are surrounded by high, defensive walls which are reinforced by corner towers. If you prefer the hustle and bustle of the city, you can visit the medinas of Essaouira, Fez, Marrakesh and Tetouan – all of which are World Heritage Sites. One of the country’s more recent inscriptions is that of the Portuguese City of Mazagan. According to sources at UNESCO, this ancient city was built as a fortified colony during the 16th century. It served as a Portuguese port on the Atlantic coast and is an excellent example of how European and Moroccan cultures were often combined during the town planning, use of technology and architecture of buildings in Morocco at that time. Today Mazagan is a part of El Jadida which is not too far from Casablanca. So make sure you see as many of these great World Heritage Sites as you can the next time you visit Morocco.