Azrou

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title: "Azrou" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-ifrane-province"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-ifrane-province" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azrou" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
name
native_nameأزرو
settlement_type
image_skyline{{Photomontage
photo1aCentre culturel d'Azrou- Neige.jpg
photo2aAzrou,college.jpg
photo2bAzrou,placeMohammedV.jpg
photo3aAzrou Maroc.jpg
size275
spacing2
colortransparent
border0
image_captionAzrou, Morocco
pushpin_mapMorocco#Africa
pushpin_relief1
pushpin_label_positionbottom
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Morocco
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Fez-Meknes
subdivision_type2Province
subdivision_name2Ifrane
established_title
leader_name
unit_prefImperial
area_total_km2
area_land_km2
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m
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population_total81350
population_as_of2014
population_density_km2
timezoneCET
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::

| 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 = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Fez-Meknes | 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_footnotes = | population_total = 81350 | population_as_of = 2014 | population_density_km2 = | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | website =

Azrou () is a town in Ifrane Province in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco.

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.

Demographics

According to the 2024 Moroccan census, 86.1% of the population of Azrou speak Arabic as their mother tongue, whereas a minority of 13.8% natively speak Berber languages.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Azrou,college.jpg" caption="Azrou College"] ::

The first record of Azrou city in history in a letter sent by Fernão Taveira to king Manuel I of 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. 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.

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. The monastery, which was closed in 1968 due to tensions within Morocco as well as global tensions, served as film location to the movie Of Gods and Men around 2010.

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

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Azrou_market.jpg" caption="Azrou market"] ::

The market town of Azrou is located about 89 km south of Fez.

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. 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.

|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/

Transport

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 Fez in the north east and continues to Khenifra and then Marrakesh in the south west.

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

International relations

Azrou signed a protocol of cooperation with Blois in July 2011.

References

References

  2. (8 April 2015). "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014". High Commission for Planning, Morocco.
  3. [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. link. (2014-08-10 {{in lang). fr
  4. "RGPH_2024".
  5. "LES SOURCES INEDITES DE L'HISTOIRE DU MAROC PREMIÈRE SÉRIE — DYNASTIE SA'DIENNE ARCHIVES ET BIBLIOTHÈQUES DE PORTUGAL".
  6. fr
  7. Miller, Susan Gilson.. (2013). "A history of modern Morocco". Cambridge University Press.
  8. "How the inter-faith 'spirit of Toumliline' lives on 50 years after Moroccan monastery closed". European Union.
  9. "Benedictine Monastery of Toumliline". Archnet.
  10. "Toumliline Monastery". Lonely Planet.
  11. link. (2012-04-19)
  12. [http://www.blois.fr/32-international.htm Twinnings of the town of Blois] {{in lang. fr

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