Global Treasures: Hassan Tower

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1077

UPC: 879061006760

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

The 44-metre-high Hassan Tower is situated in Rabat, capital of Morocco. The building of the Hassan Tower and the Grand Mosque – which was planned to be North Africa's largest - were commissioned at the end of the 12th century by the King of the Almohades, Yacoub al-Mansour. However, building of the mosque was never completed, and it gradually fell into decay.

Nearby, the magnificent mausoleum of King Mohammed V and his son King Hassan II sits. A successful synthesis of traditional artistic craftsmanship and modern architecture, the magnificent mausoleum was designed by a Vietnamese architect.

A masculine symbol of Rabat, the Hassan Tower stands proud above the ruins of the unfinished mosque. Together with the Royal Mausoleum, the area around the minaret unites both past and present.