The maze-like sector, called the medina, is similar to others in the area. It has white-washed buildings of Spanish and Moorish architecture. However, the shades of blue are unique to this town. There are different reasons cited for the striking blue walls.

The Reasons Why The City of Chefchaouen in Morocco is Entirely Blue:

1. The Jews

The color blue is representative of the sky according to Jewish belief. Jewish communities, therefore paint things blue and use blue-colored fabrics, especially prayer mats.

People believe that the Jewish refugees spread the blue fever to the entire ‘medina’ in 1930. The practice of painting walls blue was introduced by the Jews to stick to their religious practices. However, older residents say that the majority of the buildings within the medina used to be white until fairly recently. They stress that only the Jewish part of the medina used to be painted blue

2. The Heat and Height

Another group of locals states the heat to be a reason for the color. They say that the shades of blue keep their houses cool in warmer months. While this might not have been the original reason, it is a perfectly valid one in these modern times.

3. The Water

According to a few locals, Chefchaouen’s walls are bathed in multiple shades of blue reminiscent of the striking blue of the Mediterranean Sea. Others believe that the blues represent the Ras el-Maa Waterfall. The citizens of the town get their drinking water from this waterfall.
The locals believe that the painting was done to always remind them that life-sustaining water allows them to survive in an otherwise hostile environment.

4. Aesthetic Appeal

Few locals believe that the city is blue because it looks good. According to the Islamic culture, happiness and optimism are represented by the color blue.