Spanish Mosque Viewpoint

The Spanish Mosque stands on a hill east of Chefchaouen, in the Rif mountains of northern Morocco, and is best known as the town's classic viewpoint. The mosque was built by Spanish authorities in the 1920s, but it was never put into regular use and now serves mostly as a landmark rather than a place of worship. Visitors reach it on foot from the medina's Bab el-Ain, crossing the Oued Laou stream and following a signed path uphill for about 30 to 40 minutes, or by petit taxi to the trailhead for a shorter walk. The walk passes the old Ras el-Maa waterfall area and gives steadily widening views over the town. From the hilltop, the blue-washed medina spreads below with the red-tiled roofs, the Kasbah tower and the mountains of Jebel Meggou and Jebel Tissouka behind it. The domed mosque itself is plain, and its exterior is usually seen from the outside only. A visit takes one to two hours including the walk, and sunset is the favoured time because the light turns the medina golden and then pink before the blue hour. Photographers aim for the wide view from the terrace at the base of the mosque, with the town and the valley in one frame. The site is free and open at all times, but visitors should go in daylight, carry water, and leave enough time to descend before dark since the path is unlit. Sunset crowds can be considerable in spring and summer, with groups gathering along the ridge. Early morning is quieter and cooler, and offers softer light for pictures of the medina without crowds.