Morocco [antikvár]

Introduction The country of Morocco stands at the western extremity of the Arab and Muslim world. From here was launched Islam's most successful penetration of Western Europe - the occupation of Spain. Separated from Europe by only the 15km of the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco is at once a crossroads and a frontier state - a gateway for Europeans into Africa and for Africans and Arabs into Europe. For many travellers, it is their first taste of Africa. Known to the Arabs as al-Maghreb al-Aqsa, the 'farthest land of the setting sun', Morocco has long held a romantic allure for the westerner. Since the 18th century, some of Europe's greatest writers and painters have sought inspiration here. In 19th century France, paintings depicting scenes from Morocco were exhibited in the salons of Paris and set off a craze for all things 'Eastern'. Many artists chose to remain in Morocco; all claim to have been altered in some way by it. For many, its greatest charm lies in the labyrinths of the imperial cities - Marrakesh, Fes, Meknes and Rabat. Morocco is certainly home to an astonishingly rich architectural tradition, and its medieval cities, Roman ruins, Berber fortresses and beautiful Islamic monuments are among the best examples of their kind in the world. The countryside holds no lesser attractions. From Marrakesh the snowcapped High Atlas Mountains are clearly visible and lure a growing number of trekkers. Also recognised for their hiking potential are the Middle Atlas and Anti-Atlas ranges. Huge sections of these isolated regions still remain the sole preserve of the Berber tribes-people and their animals. Many of these areas are also rich in wildlife. Morocco boasts great diversity of flora and fauna and is well known among bird enthusiasts for the vast numbers of migrants it attracts. For others, the main draw-card is sand. -r PORTl/GAL / r' Lisbon p j ' J TTT -r-\ • italyX Rom^,. ^^ÔsnÎ? V -llERC V \i i'' f M Xncc ATLANTIC OCEAN Madeira (PortugAl) o Sl'AIN Madrid Tingtar • Rabat Caublanca, O , «pes Meknes MOROCCO • Marakesh ^ Gllitan>r(UK) V /Balearic ' ^ Islands ISpain) Algiers cr Corsica (HrancelW L/ Sanlinia (llalv) Sicily IIUW IIUW TIibimiq ALBApil.4, GREieqi Canary Islamfs (SpAin) r L '-©Tunl»^ j ) Valletta^ C U MALTA TUNISIA ¦ \ 1 isjripoll Western t Sahara j Deseri ; I \ au:eria \ I MAURITANIA / \ \ I MALI \ A.