Morocco, Maroc, El Maghreb
Magical Morocco, a land of contrasts. Vibrant, seductive and exciting, a place where shadows merge with sunlight, where sky and sea meet at the horizon. Contrasting colours dissolve into flickering kaleidoscope of blue, copper, red, green, ochre, silver and gold. A land bursting with the colours of life where festivals happen all year round.
Morocco, a place where magical colours blend in an irresistible pageant of light and shade. Everyone has heard of Marrakech, Assaouira and the Atlas Mountains. Our Thuya Wood giftware are hand-crafted in the coastal town of Essaouira at the foothills of the Western Atlas Mountains. The leather bags are handmade in Marrakech.
ESSAOUIRA & WESTERN ATLAS MOUNTAINS
The Atlas Mountains generally run southwest to northeast to form the backbone of the countries of the western part of North Africa. They extend more than 1200 miles from the Moroccan port of Agadir to Tunis the capital of Tunisia.
The Atlas mountains holds many fertile valleys, as the high peaks force the clouds to yield large quantities of rainfall, and is therefore the perfect surrounding for the growth of the Thuya Tree.
In the Atlantic Coast where the Western Foothills of the Atlas Mountains meet the sea is the historic Town of Essaouira where many Craft Cooperatives use their traditional skills to produce gifts in Thuya wood.
Essaouira was inhabited as early as the 7th century B.C. In 1506 the Portuguese arrived and built an imposing fortress called Mogador.
In 1760 the Sultan of the Alaouite dynasty constructed a port to compete with Agadir. The Sultan wanted the city to be larger and better equipped than Agadir and therefore he entrusted a French architect to construct a new beautiful city called Essaouira.
Nowadays, the magic of Essaouira comes from its artistic influence. The tranquillity of the city, the beauty of the site, the splendid light... have always attracted and inspired artists.
Essaouira is a healthy fishing harbor and beach resort. Although tourism has grown steadily, Essaouira retains its laid-back atmosphere and local color.
The Medina is full of cobbled streets and winding alleyways of the old city. Tucked away in white buildings with their doors customarily finished blue are the galleries and handicraft shops for which Essaouira is famous. Cadwyn works directly with the Craft Cooperatives which create these beautiful gifts in Thuya wood.
Other relevant pages
- Information about thuya wood, the thuya tree, the Artisans and sustainability.
- Let us introduce you to the area and some of our friends and artisans who create these beautiful gifts
- Our range of Thuya Wood Giftware
MARRAKECH
Marrakech, known as the "Pearl of the South", is a city in south western Morocco at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Marrakech is a Berber word; and means the country of God (murt 'n akush).
The official number of residents is 450,000; however, the population is estimated to be around one million. The largest part of the population of Marrakech is of Berber origin.
Marrakech hosts the busiest square in the entire continent of Africa, called Djemaa el Fna, and has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco. Our leather products are made in the Souk, in small workshops.
Like many North African and Middle Eastern cities, Marrakech has two main divisions: the old city (médina) and the modern city. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia