Morocco Travel Guide

HISTORIC    BUILDING

MUSEUM

LANDMARK

PARK

Cuevas del Conventico

Offline map Google  map (Caves  of  the Convent;    admission   €1.20;   10.30am-1.30pm &   4.30-

8pm Tue-Sat, 10.30am-2pm Sun) These extensive and well-restored caves were used as a
refuge during sieges, and pop out at a small beach below the cliffs. The guided tour (in
Spanish) is excellent.

Museo Militar

Offline map Google  map (    10am-2pm   Tue-Sun)    Finally you reach   the summit  of  the fort,

with its panoramic views. The history of the Spanish protectorate is dominated by military
history, and this museum is the one place where you can feel the grand sweep of that violent
drama, with martial music playing in the background. Don’t miss the antique photographs room,
where biplanes, legionnaires and Berber horsemen all fuse into a dreamy adventure novel, or
the ‘do not touch the cannonballs’ sign, which is straight from Dr Strangelove .

NEW TOWN

At the turn of the 20th century, Melilla was the only centre of trade between Tetouan and the
Algerian border. As the city grew, it expressed itself in the architectural style of Modernisme,
the Catalan version of art nouveau (not to be confused with the cultural movement of
modernism), which was then in vogue. Inspired by the Catalan architect Enrique Nieto, a
disciple of Gaudí who made Melilla his home, this trend continued locally even after it went out
of fashion elsewhere. The result is a living museum of some 900 Modernist and art-deco
buildings. Unlike Ceuta, many of these treasures have yet to be dusted off, but the overall
architectural wealth is greater.

The best way to appreciate this heritage is to stroll through the area to the north of Parque
Hernandez; it’s known as ‘the golden triangle’.

Plaza de España

Offline map Google  map Several fine    examples    are on  the Plaza   de  España, including   Nieto’s art-

deco Palacio de Asamblea Offline map Google map , whose floor plan depicts a ducal crown; his

Casino Militar Offline map Google map , whose facade still depicts a republican coat of arms; and

the Banco de España Offline map Google map . Architecture fans seeking more detailed
information should see the resources listed under Tourist Information, Click here.

While the Palacio is an operating town hall, the staff at the entrance are willing to show
tourists around upon request. Worth seeing are two rooms on the upper floor: Salon Dorado,
which contains a large painting of the arrival of Spaniards in Melilla in 1497, and the Sala de
Plenos, where the local congress meets.

With its central fountain, the Plaza is a pleasant place to sit. At the centre is an art deco
military monument to campaigns in Morocco. In the distance you can see Melilla’s most striking
contemporary building, the new courthouse, which looks like a flying saucer has landed on the
roof. This observation deck is closed to visitors.

Parque Hernández

From the Plaza you can usually take a pleasant stroll down the long, palm-lined Parque
Hernández, but it was closed for renovation at the time of our visit. At the end, turn left down