Taza has always been of high importance because of its strategicly favourable location as a passage between the Rif and the Middle Atlas.
Taza is divided into two parts: the '''Medina''' (Taza-Haut), built on a plateau, and the '''Ville Nouvelle'''(Taza-Bas) in the valley, set up by the French after the occupation in 1914.
At the '''Medina''' the more "touristic" sights of Taza are located: the Great Mosque ("Jemaa el-Khebir"), the Medersa Bou Abul Hassan, the Andalusian Mosque and the souks with the "Jemaa es-Souk", the Market Mosque.
The heart of the '''Ville Nouvelle''' (Taza-Bas) is the Place de l'Independance. From there you can easily access the two main shopping streets, the Avenue Mohammed V and the Rue Allal Ben Abdullah. Here you find all sorts of shops and cafes. Most of the cafes are only visited by men, but there are some where you can feel comfortable as a woman. In the morning and at noon you will meet the Tazi women, who do their shopping and errands. In the early evening the streets of the city are full of men and women, but later the streets are left to the men. The young Tazi you will meet at the cinema or in one of the local internet-cafes, where they enjoy an evening out to chat and meet their friends. Like all over the world also in Taza surfing the web and chatting has become a common pastime. So more and more internet-cafes are opening, mainly in the Ville Nouvelle.
It is always pointed out that Taza's history and daily life was stamped by its geographical situation as the prominent passageway from east to west. Legend has it that the Meknassi tribe founded Taza at the end of the 7th century. But 25000-year-old prehistoric findings near the Medina (Kifan el-Khomari) show that people have settled here as early as the Palaeolithic.
In its history the town has been made capital several times, so under the Almohades, when Sultan Abd-el-Moumen conquered Taza in 1141 and had the Great Mosque built. Also the first Alaouite ruler, Moulay er-Rachid, the ancestor of the present king, started his conquest of Morocco from here. After his death in 1672 Taza lost its status as a capital once and for all, with the exception of the interim "reign" of the rebell Moulay Muhammed, called Bou Hemara ("man on the donkey"). He had gained the support of local Berber tribes and had himself proclaimed sultan in 1902 in Taza, but was imprisoned by Sultan Moulay Hafid and executed a few years later. The house of Bou Hemara still can be seen at the Medina.
Apart from adding to the mosques and medersas, each of the dynasties expanded and enforced the fortifications. So when Taza was occupied by French troops in 1914, it was almost naturally made a garrison town. In the first period of the French Protectorate Taza served as a base and starting point for raids against the Berbers in the Rif and the Middle Atlas, who tried to found independent states.
In 1956 Taza regained some local administrative importance, when it was made the provincial capital of the region.
An easy and comfortable way to get to Taza is by the trains run by the '''"Office National des Chemins de Fer"''' (O.N.C.F.) - [http://www.oncf.ma oncf.ma website (in French & Arabic)]. The train station is situated in the north of the Ville Nouvelle (Taza-Bas), Avenue de la Gare.
Amongst the various bus-companies the most reliable and comfortable way of travelling by bus to Taza might be with the '''Compagnie de Transport au Maroc''' (C.T.M.) - [http://www.ctm.co.ma ctm.co.ma website (in French & Arabic)]. They stop at the Place de l'Independance, and have quite a high standard, but sometimes arrive late.
To get to nearby towns like Fes and Oujda you also can take the "grands taxis". They are faster and cheaper than buses or trains. These cabs are usually shared with other passengers, or - if you are willing to spend a little more money - you can negotiate with the driver to get one by yourself. If you want to travel with children you should consider that the "grands taxis" often are without seat-belts. They arrive and depart near the train station in the Ville Nouvelle.
An advantage of shopping in Taza is the fact that it is not as overrun by tourists as the larger cities in Morocco. You can take your time and enjoy the calm and the ambiance of small town life.
At the Medina you can get what most tourists take home as souvenirs: arts and crafts or the typical Moroccan "babouches" and clothing. The main shopping streets in the Ville Nouvelle are the Avenue Mohammed V and the Rue Allal Ben Abdullah. Here you can get everything, that you need for everyday life.
At the corner of the Place de l'Independance, not far from the Hotel du Dauphine, there is a bookstore. You can also buy French and Arabic books at a small tent-like stand near the central market ("marche central") and the Mouritania mosque.
'''Mahlabat Annas''', 3 Rue Esmara, Bit Ghoulam; tel. 00212-3567-4344 - small Internet-cafe with 9 PCs, headphones and microphones. While chatting or surfing the web you can enjoy the local home-made joghurt ("raibe") or munch some sweets. Very friendly service who helps with all difficulties concerning the net and even gives some tips about chatting. It is open 7 days a week from morning to midnight (hours vary acccording to season). 4 dirham/hour.
Taza has three post offices, one at the Medina (vis-a-vis the Place Ahrrach) and two in the Ville Nouvelle, at the Place de l'Independance and near the train station.
'''Medina''' (Taza-Haut):
'''Ville Nouvelle''' (Taza-Bas):
The post offices are usually open from 8 a.m. to noon and from 2.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. but the opening hours can change during the summer and Ramadan.
For information about the postage for letters and parcels (in French and Arabic): http://www.bam.net.ma (click "Votre Courrier" > "Choisissez votre courrier" > "Calculer vos tarifs" and follow the instructions).
If you want to send a parcel abroad you have to leave it open when you go to the counter.
'''Laundry''': Out of the summer-season the weather might become somewhat wet and rainy in Taza. After visiting the Medina you might be looking for a cleaners. The dry-cleaners ("Pressing") are quite cheap, about 10 dirham a piece, for example in the Avenue Mohammed V (Ville Nouvelle). Normally you can pick up your clean clothes the following day. The staff speaks French and Arabic.