LOCATION : Ait Bazza, Imouzzer Marmoucha, Boulemane Province

Near Immouzer Marmoucha, in the region of Fez-Meknes, the ruins of the Aït Bazza Fortress recall a history of torment. According to the locals, this old fortress has been deserted since the second half of the 17th century due to the tribal conflicts and wars that raged during this Siba period. Hiding behind the walls, and building guard towers as was considered necessary for survival.

Little by little, the conflicts began to subside and the residents of the fortress started to prosper. New communities including Jewish families joined the first inhabitants of the village and soon after trade relations would flourish with neighboring villages.

As a result, the fortress of Aït Bazza, gradually ceased to be a symbol of might in the region. Eventually the villagers migrated down land to where the abundance of water and better infrastructure would better support farming and livestock. 

Neglected, the fortress is not but a shadow of its former self, a silent witness to the passage of time and the legacy of generations of tribal folk who grew to embrace trade and neighbourly relations over conflict and isolation.