Azrou
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Azrou
| native_name = أزرو
| other_name =
| settlement_type =
|image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Centre culturel d'Azrou- Neige.jpg
| photo2a = Azrou,college.jpg
| photo2b = Azrou,placeMohammedV.jpg
| photo3a = Azrou Maroc.jpg
| size = 275
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
}}
| image_caption = Azrou, Morocco
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_shield =
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Morocco#Africa
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Morocco
| coordinates = {{coord|33|26|30|N|5|13|29|W|region:MA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Morocco}}
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Fès-Meknès
| subdivision_type2 = Province
| subdivision_name2 = Ifrane
| established_title =
| established_date =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_total_km2 =
| area_land_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 81350
| population_as_of = 2014
| population_density_km2 =
|timezone = CET
|utc_offset = +1
| postal_code_type =
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| website =
}}
Azrou ({{langx|ar|أزرو}}) is a Moroccan town 89 kilometres south of Fez in Ifrane Province of the Fès-Meknès region.
Etymology
Azrou is a geomorphological name taken from the landform of a large rock outcrop (Aẓro, ⴰⵥⵔⵓ, means "rock" or "stone" in the Berber language Tamazight) in the centre of the city.[http://www.terremaroc.com/article-f%C3%83%C2%A8s-les-environs-de-f%C3%A8s-azrou-pr%C3%A9sentation-et-visites-article-_268.html Tourist article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810055505/http://www.terremaroc.com/article-f%C3%83%C2%A8s-les-environs-de-f%C3%A8s-azrou-pr%C3%A9sentation-et-visites-article-_268.html |date=2014-08-10 }} {{in lang|fr}}
History
The first record of Azrou city in history in a letter sent by Fernão Taveira to king Manuel I of Portugal.{{cite web|url=http://cham.fcsh.unl.pt/ext/portugalemarrocos/files/sources_portugal_tomo_II_prt_1.pdf|title=LES SOURCES INEDITES DE L'HISTOIRE DU MAROC PREMIÈRE SÉRIE — DYNASTIE SA'DIENNE ARCHIVES ET BIBLIOTHÈQUES DE PORTUGAL}}
Azrou is mostly known for hosting the first high school in the Berber region: the Berber high school of Azrou (now the Tarik Ibn Ziad School). It was built by the French colonial authorities in order to train Moroccans for the colonial administration.[https://books.google.com/books?id=AkAXLo_rO68C&dq=histoire+lyc%C3%A9e+fran%C3%A7ais+berbere+azrou&pg=PA13 The College of Azrou], for berber civil and military élite in Morocco, 1927-1959, Mohamed Benhlal {{in lang|fr}} It was one of the instruments for the implementation of a Berber Dhahir, which changed the justice system in areas where Amazigh languages were predominantly spoken, excluding these areas from Sharia and the authority of the Makhzen that applied to the rest of Morocco, and implementing a new legal system ostensibly in accordance with Amazigh laws and customs written in French.{{Cite book|title=A history of modern Morocco|last=Miller, Susan Gilson.|date=2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-62469-5|location=New York|oclc=855022840}}
The college became an educational institution in the reference area, forming part of the political and military elites from 1956 to 1973, after independence, the college was renamed Azrou Tarik Ibn Ziad High School.
In 1952, 20 Benedictine monks arrived to establish near the town the monastery of Toumliline which hosted interfaith dialogues between Christians, Jews and Muslims of different nationalities between 1955 and 1964.{{cite web |last1=Ramesa |first1=Rafael |title=How the inter-faith 'spirit of Toumliline' lives on 50 years after Moroccan monastery closed |url=https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/news/how-inter-faith-spirit-toumliline-lives-50-years-after-moroccan-monastery-closed_en |website=Capacity4dev |publisher=European Union |access-date=18 December 2023}} The monastery, which was closed in 1968 due to tensions within Morocco as well as global tensions,{{cite web |title=Benedictine Monastery of Toumliline |url=https://www.archnet.org/sites/20485 |website=Archnet |publisher=Archnet |access-date=18 December 2023}} served as film location to the movie Of Gods and Men around 2010.{{cite web |title=Toumliline Monastery |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco/ifrane-national-park/attractions/toumliline-monastery/a/poi-sig/1631325/1339632 |website=Lonely Planet |publisher=Lonely Planet |access-date=18 December 2023}}
The town was long neglected by the Moroccan authorities since independence in 1956 to the detriment of the nearby town of Ifrane. Although it is the true capital of the Middle Atlas and a town that has given Morocco many leaders and intellectuals, the town still does not officially rank as provincial capital, although it is in practice.
The town has several hotels.
Geography
The market town of Azrou is located at a strategic crossroads of the N13 and N8 roads towards the northern end of the Middle Atlas. The N13 road connects Azrou to Meknes in the north west and Midelt in the south east. The National Route N8 comes from Fes in the north east and continues to Khenifra and then Marrakech in the south west.
Azrou is at an altitude of 1250 m and surrounded by mountains covered with evergreen holm oak and cedar.
The Cèdre Gouraud Forest is located to the south east, where one of the sub-populations of the Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus (called magots) lives and draws the attention of tourists.C. Michael Hogan, (2008) [http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=31757&lang=us Barbary Macaque: Macaca sylvanus, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419033431/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=31757&lang=us |date=2012-04-19 }} In addition to its rich biodiversity symbolized by the famous cedar forest there are the butterflies which are unique in the world. The surroundings of Azrou are a centre of attraction for the residents, hikers, and picnickers of the large neighbouring towns. These surroundings are also home to the 'Cedre Gouraud' or 'Grand Cedar', a famous tourist attraction. Moreover, the Azrou forest provides an excellent hiking and exercising environment and also holds several summer camps for children. Azrou urban construction is in the European style (red tile roofs).
The region is also known for its cherry trees, apple trees, fish farms, and the abandoned sanatorium in the surrounding metropolitan area of Ben Smim.
= Climate =
Generally, Azrou experiences a warmer climate than Ifrane, because the city is at a lower altitude. Under the Köppen system, Azrou features a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa), in spite of its cold winters, not cold enough to be classified as a continental mediterranean climate (Dsa). Thus, winters are moderately cold and snowy, but without substantial accumulation. Summers are hot and moderately dry, which are noticeably wetter than in Ifrane.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Azrou, Morocco
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|temperature colour=
|Jan record high C = 21.2
|Feb record high C = 24.4
|Mar record high C = 27.4
|Apr record high C = 32.2
|May record high C = 35.9
|Jun record high C = 39.2
|Jul record high C = 42.0
|Aug record high C = 41.2
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Oct record high C = 31.1
|Nov record high C = 25.6
|Dec record high C = 21.9
|year record high C =
|Jan high C = 10.3
|Feb high C = 11.6
|Mar high C = 13.8
|Apr high C = 17.7
|May high C = 21.4
|Jun high C = 26.8
|Jul high C = 32.0
|Aug high C = 31.4
|Sep high C = 26.3
|Oct high C = 21.6
|Nov high C = 13.5
|Dec high C = 10.7
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = 4.4
|Feb mean C = 5.6
|Mar mean C = 8.3
|Apr mean C = 11.6
|May mean C = 14.6
|Jun mean C = 19.7
|Jul mean C = 23.3
|Aug mean C = 22.8
|Sep mean C = 19.4
|Oct mean C = 15.1
|Nov mean C = 8.4
|Dec mean C = 4.9
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = -1.5
|Feb low C = -0.4
|Mar low C = 2.8
|Apr low C = 5.5
|May low C = 7.8
|Jun low C = 12.6
|Jul low C = 14.6
|Aug low C = 14.2
|Sep low C = 12.5
|Oct low C = 8.6
|Nov low C = 3.3
|Dec low C = -0.9
|year low C =
|Jan record low C = -14.4
|Feb record low C = -16.5
|Mar record low C = -8.8
|Apr record low C = -4.6
|May record low C = -1.5
|Jun record low C = 2.2
|Jul record low C = 7.1
|Aug record low C = 6.0
|Sep record low C = 3.3
|Oct record low C = -1.1
|Nov record low C = -8.0
|Dec record low C = -14.1
|year record low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 156
|Feb precipitation mm = 133
|Mar precipitation mm = 111
|Apr precipitation mm = 92
|May precipitation mm = 54
|Jun precipitation mm = 40
|Jul precipitation mm = 24
|Aug precipitation mm = 36
|Sep precipitation mm = 53
|Oct precipitation mm = 75
|Nov precipitation mm = 121
|Dec precipitation mm = 172
|year precipitation mm =
|source = https://fr.climate-data.org/afrique/maroc/azrou/azrou-21511/
}}
Picture Gallery
File:Azrou Morocco.JPG|Azrou city
File:Azrou,placeMohammedV.jpg|The Place Muhammed V
File:Azrou, Morocco (6342862579).jpg|Sheep Market
File:Azrou 2.JPG|An Azrou street
File:Azrou.JPG|The Azrou rock
File:Azrou.jpg|Azrou town
File:Neighborhood Tizi Moulay El Hassan in Azrou.jpg|Neighborhood Tizi Moulay El Hassan in Azrou
File:Le Musée Amazigh d'Azrou.jpg|The Amazigh Museum of Azrou
File:Mosquée Hassan II Azrou.jpg|Hassan II Mosque Azrou
File:La source d'eau Sebab Azrou.jpg|Esebbab fountain in Azrou city
File:Centre ville d'Azrou.jpg|Azrou City center
Twinning
The city signed a protocol of cooperation with Blois in July 2011[http://www.blois.fr/32-international.htm Twinnings of the town of Blois] {{in lang|fr}}
Sources
{{Commons category|Azrou}}
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Fès-Meknès}}