The Portuguese Cistern in El Jadida, Morocco (© Michele Falzone/AWL/plainpicture)

【January 7 2016】El Jadida is also called the Cité Portugaise. It’s not just a fanciful name: The Moroccan city was under Portuguese rule from 1502 to 1769. This now-defunct cistern is a great example of the Portuguese style that still characterizes much of the town’s architecture. With one opening in the ceiling to allow natural light to illuminate the well, the rest of the cistern is lit artificially, so that visitors can see its ornate arches. The pillars are reflected in an ever-present shallow layer of water on the cistern’s floor.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..