Morocco
Curated story | July 18, 2026
Curator: Elisabeth Kvernen
Welcome to Morocco!
Palm trees silhouetted against snowy Atlas mountains. Motorbikes, olive groves, and orange trees. Haunting Gnou music, terracotta-colored walls, and intricate mosaics. Cats, street vendors, and milling tourists. These are some of the first sights and sounds I experienced when I landed in Marrakesh, Morocco in the spring of 2026.
I decided to visit the North African country of Morocco as the first of my sign-exploration trips. I was intrigued by the mixtures of people, languages, and scripts in this country, and wanted to see how the different cultures and languages came together in the country’s public lettering. I hope you enjoy a glimpse into this journey.
While in Morocco, I visited Marrakesh, Fez, and Casablanca.
Check out these locations on the map:
Map ViewAround Morocco
Images from daily life
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Religion in Morocco
One of the truly distinctive things about Morocco is the prevalence of religion in everyday life. The country is predominantly Muslim with small Christian, Jewish, and Bahá’í communities as well.
From religious murals to wall plaques to calligraphic expressions, signs of religious observance are commonplace in the public lettering of Morocco.
“Cleanliness is sign of faith, and cleanliness should be practiced by everyone.”
“There is no power or strength except in Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting.”
The call to prayer can be heard across the city; this is the sunset call, as experienced on a rooftop in Marrakesh.
Calligraphy
The Arabic script is rooted in a calligraphic tradition. Calligraphy is considered to be the highest form of visual art in Islamic (see CalligraphyQalam.com).
Numerous examples of calligraphy grace the streets of storefronts, residences, and historical architecture throughout Morocco.
See more calligraphy in Morocco
“There is no power or might except with Allah.”
“Let our smiles be sincere, and our homes clean.”
Dar Seffarine
The medina, or “old city” in Marrakesh is a maze of small alleys, full of hand-painted signs.
Signs from the Marrakesh Market
Agence Immobilière
Rue Sidi El Yamani
La Clinique Du Ballon
Morocco is full of contrasts with the tight, winding streets of the old cities (medinas), and the bustling, modern streets of its larger cities.
Favorite Signs in Morocco
It’s hard to choose just a few, but these signs are some of my favorites. Click on the image to view more detail.
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Morocco Galleries
Check out these collections of signs from Morocco! Each gallery is organized around a particular theme.
Plaques in Morocco
This collection of tile wall plaques in Morocco showcases the lettering potential of this medium.
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Signs of Badii, Marrakesh
Take a type walk with me around the Badii neighborhood of Marrakesh to see some unique hand-painted signs mostly painted by one artist.
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Real Estate Signs in Marrakesh
The key to these real estate signs is in the imagery! Check out the distinctive visual style of these signs from Marrakesh.
View Gallery
In Morocco, I found a place where hand-painted signs are still a normal part of life. I hope you enjoy the full collection of signs below.
Related Articles
In the article Brahim Boucheikha on Moroccan Visual Culture I interview Brahim (type designer, graphic designer and educator) to hear more about Moroccan visual culture. The video here is an excerpt from that conversation.
Contributors to the Morocco Collection
Thanks!
I’m grateful to all those who took the time to share their culture and history with me in Morocco, especially Youssef Titou who spent a day taking me around Fez, and Maha El Madi and Fadma Fangach who kindly welcomed me to Dar Bellarj in Marrakesh. And I would have gotten nowhere in Morocco without the kindness and generosity of Brahim Boucheikha, whose advice and connections provided the structure for my entire trip. Thank you!
