Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin)


World Heritage Identification Number: 837

World Heritage since: 1997

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇲🇦 Morocco

Continent: Africa

UNESCO World Region: Arab States

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The Medina of Tétouan: A Blend of Islamic and Andalusian Architecture

The Medina of Tétouan, formerly known as Titawin, is a captivating urban center located in northern Morocco. Situated along the Martil Valley, this medieval city serves as one of the two significant ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea, just a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and approximately 60 kilometers east-southeast of Tangier. With a population of over 380,000 inhabitants according to the 2014 Moroccan census, the Medina of Tétouan forms part of the administrative division Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Tétouan was of particular importance in the Islamic period, from the 8th century onwards, since it served as the main point of contact between Morocco and Andalusia. After the Reconquest, the town was rebuilt by Andalusian refugees who had been expelled by the Spanish. This is well illustrated by its art and architecture, which reveal clear Andalusian influence. Although one of the smallest of the Moroccan medinas, Tétouan is unquestionably the most complete and it has been largely untouched by subsequent outside influences.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

The Committee decided to inscribe the Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) on the basis of criteria (ii), (iv) and (v), considering that it is an exceptionally well preserved and complete example of this type of historic town, displaying all the features of the high Andalusian culture.

Encyclopedia Record: Tétouan

Tétouan is a city in northern Morocco. It lies along the Martil Valley and is one of the two major ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea, a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and about 60 kilometres (37 mi) E.S.E. of Tangier. In the 2014 Moroccan census, the city recorded a population of 380,787 inhabitants. It is part of the administrative division Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 6.5 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement

Coordinates: 35.57083 , -5.36667

Image

Image of Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin)

© Anassbarnichou2, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Gorham's Cave Complex
61 km — United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Archaeological Site of Volubilis
167 km — Morocco
Medina of Fez
172 km — Morocco
Doñana National Park
177 km — Spain
Antequera Dolmens Site
178 km — Spain

Country Information: Morocco

Flag of Morocco

Official Name: Kingdom of Morocco

Capital: Rabat

Continent: Africa

Population (2024): 38,081,173

Population (2023): 37,712,505

Population (2022): 37,329,064

Land Area: 446,300 sq km

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Tétouan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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