Tour Oudja in Morocco
Founded in the 10th century, Oujda is an eastern Moroccan city with about half a million inhabitants. It is only about 15 kilometers west of Algeria, which means it has seen quite a bit of Algerian influence over the years. However, the predominant architecture in Oujda is very French in nature and this is perhaps what you will find to be most notable about the city.
Oujda started life as the capital of the Zenata tribe. Most of the original architecture was destroyed when the city was rebuilt in the 13th century by sultan Abou Youssef. The face of Oujda changed yet again in the 1800 and 1900’s when the French took occupation of the city. The French used Oujda as a military base from which they exercised control over eastern Morocco. Thus they made quite a few changes to the face of the city and their presence was strongly felt. Oujda eventually gained independence from the French with the rest of Morocco in 1956. As a result of the strong French presence, the medinas are not very traditional and the streets are wide. The houses are also fairly modern.
Today Oujda is the capital of eastern Morocco. It does not have as many historical attractions as other Moroccan cities but it does have incredibly friendly people and a busy and very distinct night life. It is also quite untouched by the main tourist routes which mean that the chances of you being hustled are very slim. Oujda is perhaps best known for the very unusual music that is characteristic of the city. Simple but entertaining musical shows are put on regularly and you will even find music emanating from the many houses in the city. If you visit Oujda, make sure that you get to watch one or two of these shows.
Oujda is home to the Oujda Angads Airport which receives international traffic from Europe. It is also the location of the Universite Mohammed Premier which is a French and Arabic language university. Oujda accommodation is relatively easy to find and food is authentic and reasonable. While it may be a bit more out of the way than other Moroccan cities, Oujda is definitely worth a day or two of your travels.
