Chefchaouen, a small town in northern Morocco, has a rich history, beautiful natural surroundings and wonderful architecture, but what it’s most famous for are the striking and vivid blue walls of many of the buildings in its “old town” sector, or medina.

The maze-like medina sector, like those of most of the other towns in the area, features white-washed buildings with a fusion of Spanish and Moorish architecture. The brilliantly blue walls, however, seem to be unique to Chefchaouen. They are said to have been introduced to the town by Jewish refugees in 1930, who considered blue to symbolize the sky and heaven. The color caught on, and now many also believe that the blue walls serve to repel mosquitoes as well (mosquitoes dislike clear and moving water).blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-2 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-3 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-7 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-6 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-4 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-5 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-8 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-9 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-10 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-11 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-12 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-13 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-14 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-15 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-16 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-17 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-18 blue-streets-of-chefchaouen-morocco-19This Old Town In Morocco Is Covered In Blue Paint originally appeared on Bored Panda