Earthquake impact in Douar Agadir Jamaa, Tizi N'Test commune, Taroudant Province. September 2023 - alyaoum24 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Vqmaz0A5w - via Wikipedia.
The recent earthquake in Morocco badly damaged a number of Unesco World Heritage monuments.
The preservation of human life is paramount following a catastrophe like this, according to Eric Falt, regional director of the Unesco Office for the Maghreb, on Saturday. According to Moroccan official television, the dead toll from the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred late Friday night has risen to 2,122, with 2,421 people injured.
Falt, however, emphasized the significance of damage assessment and restoration of tangible and intangible cultural treasures, stating that it is "necessary to immediately plan for the second phase, which will include the reconstruction of schools and cultural assets affected by the earthquake."
One of these impacted "cultural assets" is Marrakech's medieval medina, which Unesco listed as a world historic site in 1985 and later added to its list of Intangible Cultural historic in 2009. Falt stated after a two-hour inspection tour of the 700-hectare area on Saturday, complete with its maze of tiny streets, "it can already be said that the damage is much more significant than expected."
Marrakech, which was established by the Almoravids, a Berber Muslim kingdom, in 1070–1072 continues to have a significant material and intangible history. For centuries, it dominated politics, business, and culture, influencing the western Muslim world from North Africa to Andalusia.
The Koutoubia Mosque, the Kasbah, a fortified compound that houses buildings including the royal palace, as well as battlements, imposing doorways, and gardens are some of its cultural landmarks from the Almoravid era. The Bandiâ Palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa (a school constructed in the fourteenth century), the Saadian Tombs, various opulent homes, and Place Jamaâ El Fna, the plaza where many sought sanctuary when the earthquake shook the city on Friday, are examples of later architectural gems.
Falt claims that the prominent tower of the Koutoubia mosque has significant cracks, but the minaret of the Kharbouch Mosque in Jemaa El Fnaa Square is nearly entirely destroyed and large portions of the city's old fortifications have collapsed. The city's historic Jewish neighborhood, the Mellah, apparently suffered the most damage. There, historic residences have been severely damaged.
Earthquake impact in Imi N'Tala - alyaoum24 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRCrXFQfAVY, via Wikipedia.
In a statement released on Saturday, Audrey Azoulay, director-general of Unesco, emphasized the value of comprehending the full scope of the calamity and expressed "solidarity with the Moroccan government and its people."
Falt stated in an interview with The Art Newspaper that according to reliable accounts, the Tinmel mosque in the High Atlas Mountains was also nearly completely destroyed. The epicenter of the earthquake, where entire towns were destroyed, occurred in the province of Al Haouz. The mosque, which was previously a popular pilgrimage destination, has undergone partial restoration in the middle of the 20th century and again in the 1990s, and it has been included on the Tentative World Heritage List by Unesco since 1995. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs started a rehabilitation project just seven months ago that was supposed to span 18 months and included ideas for a new museum close by.
Falt noted that Unesco wants to dispatch a team to inspect the structure soon. In order to further emphasize its significance, he added, "It's a symbolic place in the history of Morocco because it was the starting point of the Almohad military campaigns against the Almoravid dynasty, at the beginning of the 12th century." It was also the location of the Almohads' final stand against the Marinid empire in 1275, and it was also where Almohad emperors were buried nearby.
Falt stated that its demolition "constitutes an inestimable loss for the national heritage of Morocco."
The mosque lasted for centuries, according to Nadia El Bourakkadi, the site's keeper, who spoke with Morocco's Medias24. It fulfills God's will.
Without providing any information, a source from the Moroccan ministry of culture told Reuters that "the ministry has decided to restore it and will make a budget for it."
Falt further revealed to The Art Newspaper that the earthquake also had an impact on the Unesco-listed Ksar of At Ben Haddou, a walled city on the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech where scenes from the 1962 movie Lawrence of Arabia were filmed in part. According to him, "it is difficult to have a precise inventory [of the damage done]," he told The Art Newspaper. "However, images show buildings with cracks and damage. According to reports, the community granary that looks out over the ksar was significantly damaged. The settlement is regarded as a model for Moroccan earthen clay construction.
As the death toll rises, so will the number of revealed damaged historical places, as Morocco's frail heritage—especially in more remote rural areas—shares the nation's burden of the earthquake.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
| ArtMajeur Magazine