About Tétouan
The city of Tétouan (Arabic: تطوان Titwan, a deformation of the Amazigh word Tittawen, plural of Tit = eye) is the capital and cultural centre of the Tanger (Tanja) region in northern Morocco, in the western Rif.
It is considered the most Andalusian city in the kingdom.
The city is located near Ceuta in the Jebala region, approximately 60 kilometres east of the city of Tangier and close to the Strait of Gibraltar. It is situated in a valley (the Tétouan cluse) carved by the Oued Mhannech in the mountains of the Rif limestone range to the north and south. Near Tétouan, there are several highly touristic coastal towns such as M'diq and Martil, and holiday villages such as Marina Smir and Cabo Negro.
The Medina of Tétouan is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the eyes of specialists, it holds the top position among all the medinas in Morocco.
The main feature of the Medina consists of the ramparts dating from the end of the 15th century that surround the city. These ramparts allow passage through 7 entrances which are: Bab El Oqla, Bab Saaida (towards the East), Bab Mqabare and Bab Ejjyafe (towards the North), Bab Nouader (towards the West), Bab Toute, and Bab Remouz (towards the South). Inside the city, the alleyways are picturesque and bustling with people. The main districts, dating from the construction of the city, are: Laayoune, Essania, Trankat, Rbat Aala, Bled, Rbat Asfal and Mellah.
