Think of the oldest place that you have ever seen. Maybe you've seen pictures of ancient ruins in Europe or heard of Native American communities in the Midwest region of the United States. There are some houses in America that were built before the U.S. gained independence from Britain! Those houses are pretty old! In Morocco, there are some houses from the 1600s! Actually, these houses are called riads or dars, and they are attached to the other riads and dars in the medina. The medina is the oldest section of a city in Morocco. It is surrounded by ancient walls that were once used to keep invaders out.
The medina is a very unique place. It is the oldest section of every city because when every city in Morocco was founded, the medina was the first area to be built, surrounded by walls that protected the citizens who lived inside. Many of the walls are still standing, and some of them have huge doors at the entrances! Bab Mansour in Meknes is one of the most famous doors! Do you see how small I am in the picture of Bab Mansour? Inside the medina, there are maze-like streets that wind their way around the riads and dars.
