Chefchaouen Medina

Chefchaouen, also known as Chaouen, is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief town of the province of the same name and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue, for which it is nicknamed the "Blue City". The old walled city, or medina, is still well-preserved alongside a more modern townscape outside its walls. The economy is characterized by artisanal crafts and tourism. The city was founded in 1471 and its population grew quickly with Muslim and Jewish refugees fleeing from Spain. Local culture has been influenced by the mixture of Andalusi and Ghomara people. The medina spreads out on the mountainside of the Rif Mountains, with narrow alleys and stairways, and picturesque scenery of walls painted in various shades of blue, accented with orange tiled roofs and arabesque decorations