Morocco/etc. The Sahara Desert is the largest desert (exluding the polar deserts) and one of the largest ecological zones on Earth. Sprawing across the entirety of North Africa, it covers approximately one third of the world’s second largest continent (it would completely engulf Europe). Almost any visitor to North Africa will almost by default see the Sahara Desert. But … [Read more...]
OUZOUD FALLS
Morocco Ouzoud Falls are among the most beautiful in Africa and a highlight of any visit to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Located high in the mountains, where the scenery is green and lush, the falls are an oasis above the endless sands of the Sahara Desert. The Ouzoud Falls are possibly the most popular natural destination in Morocco. It is uncertain how long inhabitants … [Read more...]
ROCK OF GIBRALTAR & JEBEL MUSA
Gibraltar and Morocco (426 m, 842 m) – Sites of the Pillars of Hercules The Rock of Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and Jebel Musa on the northern tip of the Maghreb region of Africa have long been associated with each other. Flanking the highly strategic Straits of Gibraltar, these two mountains marked the end of the known world in ancient times. … [Read more...]
MOUNT TOUBKAL
Morocco (4,167 m) – Tallest Mountain in North Africa Mount Toubkal is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and the tallest peak in North Africa. Toubkal is part of the range that separates the coastal plain of northwest Africa from the Sahara Desert, and in ancient times was one of the landmarks that roughly delineated the western edge of the civilized world. The area … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF DERNA (DERNA BATTLEFIELD)
Derna, Libya (1805 AD) The Battle of Derna marked the beginning of the Barbary Wars, a series of campaigns between the United States and its allies and the Barbary pirates of North Africa backed by the Ottoman Empire. It was the first battle in which United States troops fought in a foreign theater of war, making it America’s debut onto the geopolitical stage. It was also … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF ALCACER QUIBIR (ALCACER QUIBIR BATTLEFIELD)
Ksar El-Kibir, Morocco (1578 AD) The Battle of Alcacer Quibir was, depending how you look at it, one of the latest reversals of a European power attempting a crusade or one of the earliest reversals of a European power attempting to establish a colonial presence in Africa. Ostensibly an attempt by Portugal to interfere in the internal affairs of Morocco, Alcacer Quibir was in … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF ZAMA (ZAMA BATTLEFIELD)
Zama, Tunisia (202 BC) The Battle of Zama was the climactic engagement of the Second Punic War, effectively putting an end to the power of Carthage and cementing Rome’s supremacy in the western Mediterranean for the next six centuries. Because of this it is considered to be one of the defining events of the expansion of the Roman Empire. It was one of the largest battles … [Read more...]
HASSAN II MOSQUE (MASJID HASSAN II)
Casablanca, Morocco Casablanca’s Masjid Hassan II is one of the great mosques of the 20th century. It is for all intents and purposes the national mosque of Morocco. More importantly, it holds several very impressive records. Aside from the fact that it is the largest mosque in Morocco, it is also the largest mosque in the world outside of Saudi Arabia. Only the Masjid … [Read more...]
TOUBA MOSQUE (MASJID TOUBA)
Touba, Senegal Touba is a relatively young metropolis, having grown up around the tomb of its locally revered Sufi saint over the last hundred years. Founded during the early 20th century, Touba has become the spiritual center of Senegal and arguably the most popular Islamic pilgrimage destination in West Africa. The city was established by Sheik Ahmadou Bamba, who is highly … [Read more...]
SIDI BOU MEDIENE MOSQUE (MASJID SIDI BOU MEDIENE)
Tlemcen, Algeria Ever since Islam arrived in North Africa, Tlemcen enjoyed a prominent position along the trade and pilgrimage routes between West Africa and the east. Although politically and militarily important throughout the Middle Ages, it was overshadowed by nearby Kairouan in neighboring Tunisia. However, during the 1100s, Tlemcen managed to establish itself as a … [Read more...]