The City of Chefchaouen in Morocco Is Painted Blue

Chefchaouen Morocco blue city — 500 years of blue. Zzvet/iStock

2016-08-15T19:03:48.000Z

Chefchaouen is a city in Morocco that's famous for its blue hue. While it was founded in 1471, it didn't get its distinctive color until 1492, when it received an influx of Jews escaping the Spanish inquisition, who brought a tradition of painting buildings blue.

Half a millennium later, the tradition persists in Chefchaouen's Old City, which is now a popular tourism and shopping destination.

The city's grown since the 1400s, but it's Chefchaouen's Old City that maintains the blue tradition.

The city itself is near the northern tip of Morocco.

The tradition of painting everything blue dates back to the Jewish community that settled there in the 15th century.

Spain expelled its Jews in 1492, and many of them fled to the Middle East. A contingent settled in Morocco.

The Sephardi Jewish community that settled in Chefchaouen brought along their tradition of painting buildings blue.

The color mirrors the sky and reminds them of God.

And the effect is beautiful.

The tradition made it to other places, too, like Safed in Israel.

But it really took off in Chefchaouen.

Like many old cities, it's walled. Chefchaouen was closed to outsiders until the 1920s, when Spain seized that region of Morocco.

It began attracting visitors because of its blue walls, but also its nearby cannabis fields.

By the end of the century, it became a popular tourist destination.

Step inside the Moroccan city that's painted entirely blue

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Step inside the Moroccan city that's painted entirely blue

The city's grown since the 1400s, but it's Chefchaouen's Old City that maintains the blue tradition.

The city itself is near the northern tip of Morocco.

The tradition of painting everything blue dates back to the Jewish community that settled there in the 15th century.

Spain expelled its Jews in 1492, and many of them fled to the Middle East. A contingent settled in Morocco.

The Sephardi Jewish community that settled in Chefchaouen brought along their tradition of painting buildings blue.

The color mirrors the sky and reminds them of God.

And the effect is beautiful.

The tradition made it to other places, too, like Safed in Israel.

But it really took off in Chefchaouen.

Like many old cities, it's walled. Chefchaouen was closed to outsiders until the 1920s, when Spain seized that region of Morocco.

It began attracting visitors because of its blue walls, but also its nearby cannabis fields.

By the end of the century, it became a popular tourist destination.

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know