HIBAPRESS – By A. Mahyaoui
Some historical photos dating back to the French protectorate in Morocco reflect the features of daily life and architecture of a number of cities, including Ifrane, which formed a distinctive urban model in the heart of the Middle Atlas during that period.
One of the circulating photos from that period highlights a aspect of the urban scene of the city in its early years, where the European architectural style that characterized the design of buildings and streets appears, within the framework of an urban project launched by the French protectorate authorities in the 1930s. Ifrane was built according to a relatively modern urban concept at the time, where the mountainous character and the cold climate of the region were taken into consideration in its planning, which made it closer to small European cities, both in terms of the shape of the buildings with sloping roofs and through the vast green spaces that surrounded it. The city's location in the Middle Atlas highlands also played an important role in its selection as a destination for recreation and rest during the colonial period, as it attracted a number of officials and foreign residents looking for a moderate climate and breathtaking natural scenery. Such historical photos carry important documentary value, as they allow subsequent generations to see the transformations that the city has known over time, and to compare its past with its present, especially since Ifrane is today among the Moroccan cities that have preserved a large part of its unique architectural character. Between the past and the present, this photo remains a visual witness to a historical stage that formed part of the city's memory, and contributed to drawing its features that are still present today.
