Bhalil
| Bhalil ⴱⵀⴰⵍⵉⵍ |
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| Basic data | |||||
| State : |
 Morocco
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| Region : | Fès-Meknes | ||||
| Province : | Sefrou | ||||
| Coordinates | 33 ° 51 ′ N , 4 ° 52 ′ W | ||||
| Residents : | 11,638 (2004) | ||||
| Height : | 975 m | ||||
Bhalil ( Arabic البهاليل, Central Atlas Tamazight ⴱⵀⴰⵍⵉⵍ Bhalil ) is a small town with about 12,500 inhabitants in the province of Sefrou in the Fès-Meknes region in Morocco .
location
Bhalil is located in a high valley at an altitude of almost 1000 m about 27 km (driving distance) southeast of Fès ; the provincial capital Sefrou is only about 5 km away.
population
Most of the people of Bhalil are of Berber descent, but the colloquial language is Moroccan Arabic .
economy
The small town, which functions as a craft and business center, lives to a large extent from the agriculture in the area. Tourism plays a subordinate role, although the city - like the nearby Sefrou - has remained one of the most original in northern Morocco.
history
In the absence of written records, nothing is known about the earlier history of Bhalil. Much indicates that the place was already settled in the Middle Ages. An attempt to interpret the place name is Baha el layl ('shine of the night') and allegedly refers to the many festivals in honor of the camel caravans from southern Morocco that allegedly stop here the night before their arrival in Fez. In 1950 some houses in the village were destroyed by flooding in the central stream.
Attractions
- The townscape of Bhalil is one of the most beautiful in the area around Fès. The winding streets in the center with their mostly whitewashed houses convey an almost Andalusian flair.
- Some of the apartments are carved into the soft tuff rocks; This compensates for temperature fluctuations. Some families open their living areas to curious tourists in anticipation of a tip.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Moroccan population statistics ( Memento of the original from July 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
