Tania De Pascalis and Tiago Marques, a duo of travel photographers known as “Tiago and Tanya” (Tiago & Tania) went to the town of Chefchaouen, sprawled between the Reef Mountains. Aka Shaven, aka Shifshown, also known as the “Blue Pearl”.
Having seen Chefchaouen once, it is impossible to forget — most of the historical center is painted in different shades of blue and blue, from the color of delicate azure to deep indigo.
History suggests that at the end of the XV century, Sephardic Jews began to flee en masse from Spain to this city, who were persecuted for refusing to convert to Catholicism. And it was the Sephardic tradition that gave such an unusual appearance to the city — a special veil for prayers, talit, was made in a white and blue color scheme.
Over time, the tradition went beyond the Jewish community, and everything began to be painted blue — walls, fences, windows, doors, stairs, stones on the pavement.
There is another, more practical explanation for this tradition: in this part of Morocco, the bright sun shines all year round, reflecting off white buildings, it blinds the townspeople, so the walls need to be painted. The blue shade is easily obtained from the vida plant, which grows abundantly in North Africa, it was used by the ancient Egyptians; when added to plaster, it gives a heavenly shade.
There are almost no Jews in the city now. But there are a lot of cats of all stripes.
There are exactly three entertainments in Chefchaouen: walking along the sky-blue streets, eating goat cheese and taking pictures from dawn to dusk. It is quite enough for happiness.
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