The Telouet Kasbah in Morocco
Telouet is a Berber village located in the High Atlas Mountains, between Marrakech and Ouarzazate. The Telouet Kasbah is also named “the Glaoui Kasbah”. The governor of Marrakech, T’hami el Glaoui and his family used to live here in the early XXth century. The Kasbah’s name was given in honor of the Head of the Glaoua…
La Mamounia, a palace hotel in Marrakech
La Mamounia is a mythic palace hotel in Marrakech, opened in 1923. The name of the hotel comes from the garden’s owner (Moulay Mamoun) where the palace was built. Renowned artists had been sollicited including the famous painter Jacques Majorelle (inventor of the Majorelle blue).
The magnificent Dohany street Great Synagogue in Budapest
Built in 1859, the Dohany street Great Synagogue is the largest Synagogue of Europe and the second largest in the world. This Synagogue can accommodate up to 3000 people . The architects Frigyes Feszl and Ludwig Förster were inspired by Moorish style. It is richly decorated with glass windows, gold ornaments, painted ceiling, chandeliers… It is…
Basking in the Gellért’s baths in Budapest, Hungary
In June, i went for the second time to Budapest, but this time i tasted the Budapest baths : the Gellért and the Szèchenyi baths. I preferred the Gellért baths because it is more calm and chic. The decoration is very beautiful and refined. The words calm, luxury and voluptuousness fit perfectly this place. There…
Jemaa El Fna square in Marrakech
For more information : http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/fr/RL/lespace-culturel-de-la-place-jemaa-el-fna-00014
The Koutoubia in Marrakech
The Koutoubia has a minaret topping by a 70m-high square tower. The first sanctuary was built under the reign of Abd el-Moumen, but was destroyed due to its imperfect alignment with Mecca. The Koutoubia acquired its current look under the reign of Yacoub el-Mansour. Source : http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Tourist-Attraction/Marrakech-_-Koutoubia-9dtttjn5
Wandering in the souks of Marrakech
Walking in the souks of Marrakech is a pleasant change of scenery. The souks means in Arabic “markets”. It is very lively and colorful. It is a myriad of tiny streets, a real labyrinth ! There are various souks ; each souk is specialized in one type of products (tannery, slippers, blacksmiths, carpets…). About 40…
The Saadian tombs in Marrakech
The Saadian tombs (discovered in 1917) were built under the reign of the Sultan Ahmed el Mansour in the 16th century. It was a burial site for himself and his descendants. About two hundred members of the Saadian dynasty were buried there. The Saadian (or Zaydanides) are a cherifian Arab dynasty coming from the Draâ…
Medersa Ben Youssef in Marrakech
The Medersa (arabic word for school) Ben Youssef was an important koranic university. It was built in 1570 at the request of the Sa’did Sultan Abdellah Al Ghalib in order to educate the young men attending the mosque located nearby. The medersa’s name is a tribute to the Sultan Ali Ben Youssef who fortified Marrakech in…
Palais Bahia : Jewel of the Hispano-Mauresque art
Palais Bahia is incredibly decorated with somptuous mosaics, sculpted stone artifacts and painted doors and ceilings. The palace was built under the reign of two sultans : Sidi Mohammed ben Abd al Rahman (1859-1873) and Moulay Abd al-Aziz (1894-1908). The construction lasted seven years and was realised by the architect El Mekki. Sources : http://www.palais-bahia.com/en/…
Le jardin Majorelle : An oasis of colours in Marrakech
The French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) created this wonderful botanic garden in the 1920’s. Passionate about botany, he brought back exotic plants from his travels (cacti, palm trees, bamboo, coconut palms, jasmine, agaves, bougainvilleas…). He uses the famous Majorelle blue to paint his villa and the garden : an ultramarine, a cobalt blue. He wanted…
The Palio of Siena, Italy
The Palio of Siena is the most famous celebration of the Sienese tradition. It is a famous horse race. Siena (city in Tuscany) is divided in 17 Contrade (districts) ; the inhabitants are very attached to their contrade. Each Contrade faces with the others during the Palio (“horse race” in Italian). The rivalty between the…
The Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary
When i visited the beautiful city of Budapest in Hungary in 2011, i was especially stunned by the Fisherman’s bastion. We can reach it by taking a funicular ; it is on the castle’s hill. The architecture and the view from the Fisherman’s are magnificent. The Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902. It…
Bergen in Norway : A colorful wooden city
I went to Bergen in 2009 and i was charmed by this beautiful town. Bergen is the Norway’s second largest city and is located in the south west of the country. Founded more than 900 years ago, Bergen has roots to the Viking Age. The city is surrounded by seven mountains and is a gateway…
“Secession building” in Vienna, Austria
In 2011, i went to Vienna and i discovered “Secession building”. In 1898, the Austrian architect Joseph Maria Olbrich erected this building in the Art Nouveau style for the arts association “Secession” founded by the painter Gustav Klimt. The building is topped by a magnificent and flamboyant dome decorated with gold laurel leaves. Besides, we…
“Port Lympia” in Nice
When i lived in Nice, i liked contemplating the Port Lympia (also called “Port of Nice”). Gazing at the boats and the colorful buildings was always a pleasant moment. Besides, i used to go along the port to reach Quai des Etats-Unis so as to walk on the magnificent Promenade des Anglais. Port Lympia is…
