Morocco is a North African tourist destination renowned for its nature and culture. The country encompasses several peaceful havens as well as historic structures worthy of exploration. With its vast territory, it takes several days, even months to discover some of its wonders. Before you set off, here are a few works about the country and its regions. These books will surely help us gain a deeper understanding of Moroccan territory.

Morocco and the West from the 16th to the 20th Century

This book by Bernard Lugan traces Morocco's history. Between the 11th and 12th centuries, during the Almoravid dynasty, the country was both an African and European power. After that, the work recounts the various chronicles that Morocco traversed. Like its relationship with Spain, which began as an alliance and ended with the expulsion of the Moriscos, there is also its relationship with France, the consequences of Franco-English and Franco-German rivalries in Morocco, the French protectorate…

The Sahara, Defining the Desert

This book by Daniel Elouard speaks, of course, about the Moroccan Sahara. It explains to travelers the beauty of this mythical place. An empty space, devoid of life, yet alluring for those seeking a complete change of scenery. He points out that the desert can manifest itself in several forms: bare mountains, rocky steppes, immense dunes, endless sand…. Thousands of tourists visit this prestigious haven of peace each year. Adventurers can traverse the area in complete tranquility and reach its western section, which provides access to the Atlantic coast. This is where you'll find contrasting landscapes, between desert and ocean.

The Almohads

Pierre Guichard wrote this book to discuss primarily the Almohad religious and political movement that emerged in the Maghreb around 1120. It developed first as a rebellion against Almoravid rule. The book discusses Ibn Tûmart, a Berber preacher and founder of this movement. The work also explains the doctrine of this dynasty, composed of supporters of the unity of God. This was also the central point of Ibn Tûmart's doctrine, which he presided over during this era as the movement challenged Almoravid power.

The Particularities of Islam in the Maghreb

Paul Balta notes in his work that although the Berber Maghreb was Arabized and Islamicized in the 7th century, it has always known how to defend its particularities.

Berber Language and Literature

It is Salem Chaker, Berber professor at Inalco, who wrote this book concerning the Berber language or Tamazight. This language is present in several countries in the Maghreb-Sahara-Sahel, such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Niger… However, it is Morocco and Algeria that have the largest Berber-speaking populations among these different regions. Berber speakers are distributed across Morocco in three major dialectal zones. People speaking the tašelhit dialect live in the southern and southwestern parts of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas. In the north, in the Rif region, there are people who speak the Tarifit dialect. Finally, in the center, in the Middle Atlas and part of the High Atlas, communities speak Tamazight.

Fès, the Cultural Capital

In this book, Bernard Lugan highlights the city of Fès. This enchanting city stands out especially for its medina, its old quarter, and its various remarkably preserved structures. The medina of Fès has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1976. In this work, you are invited to navigate through the twists and turns of history that give Fès its splendor and uniqueness. The author also clarifies the various dynasties that succeeded one another in ruling Fès: the Idrisids, the Almoravids, the Almohads up to the era of the Merinids.

Mauretania Tingitana: Roman Morocco

The author Yan le Bohec focuses here on the western part of Morocco. This region fell under Roman control and took the name Mauretania Tingitana. He also mentions that the lost city of Volubilis and many others bear witness to the presence of Roman peoples in Moroccan territory. In fact, archaeologists have found approximately fifteen Roman camps, and most of them are still visible today.