Rissani is a town in
Errachidia Province in eastern
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
, located near
Erfoud
Erfoud ( ber, ⴰⵔⴼⵓⴷ, Latn, ber, Arfud; ar, أرفود) is an oasis town in the Sahara Desert, in the Drâa-Tafilalet region, eastern Morocco. It is divided into several districts: Hay Salam, Hay Jdid, Hay Ziz, Hay el Bathaa, Hay Ann ...
. It is the closest town of significant size to the
Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi (Berber: ⴻⵔⴳ ⵛⴱⵉ, ar, عرق الشبي) is one of Morocco's several ergs – large seas of dunes formed by wind-blown sand. There are several other ergs such as Erg Chigaga near M'hamid. Technically all these ergs are w ...
, the largest sand
desert in Morocco. Its population in 2004 was 20,469.
The
mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, third great-grandfather of
Moulay Cherif, founder of the
Alaouite Dynasty
The Alawi dynasty ( ar, سلالة العلويين الفيلاليين, translit=sulālat al-ʿalawiyyīn al-fīlāliyyīn) – also rendered in English as Alaouite, Alawid, or Alawite – is the current Moroccan royal family and reigning ...
of
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
, is located on the southern edge of town.
History
Rissani is the ancient capital of
Tafilalet. Its location as a crossroads between north and south gave the city a certain importance in previous times.
A former major caravan center,
Lexiorient
/ref> Rissani remains a major commercial center in the region, with a large souk, particularly lively on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It is noted for its leather and goat skin trading.
ASC Leiden - van Achterberg Collection - 12 - 02 - Une porte décorée autonome avec deux portes latérales - Rissani, Maroc - Années 1990.jpg, A Rissani city gate at dusk, 1990s.
ASC Leiden - van Achterberg Collection - 12 - 04 - Un château carré beige avec des créneau - Rissani, Maroc - Années 1990.jpg, A castle at Rissani, 1990s.
File:MAUSOLÉE MOULAY ALI CHERIF -rissani -maroc.jpg, The mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sherif built in 1666. Photograph 2020.
File:MARKETRISSANI.jpg, Souk in Rissani, 2019.
References
Populated places in Errachidia Province
Burial sites of the 'Alawi dynasty
{{DrâaTafilalet-geo-stub