El Jadida - WikiHQ

El Jadida (, ) is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located south of the city of Casablanca, in the province of El Jadida and the region of Casablanca-Settat. The Portuguese Fortified City of Mazagan was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, on the basis of its status as an "outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures" and as an "early example of the realisation of the Renaissance ideals integrated with Portuguese construction technology". According to UNESCO, the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern and the Church of the Assumption, both in a Manueline style.

Names

El Jadida's other names and nicknames in other languages were: Cap Soleis,

Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, an anchorage used by boats appears to have existed at the current site of El Jadida throughout the Middle Ages and in ancient times. The name Mazighan was first documented by the 11th-century Arab geographer al-Bakri. The city was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah in 1769 and remained largely uninhabited, having been dubbed al-Mahdouma ('The Ruined'). The town underwent a revival and soon outgrew Azemmour as the most important city in the area. Alongside the Muslim population was also a community of Jews, who participated in the city's revival.

At the beginning of the French Protectorate in Morocco (established in 1912), the city was developed as a tourist resort, one of the earliest initiatives to develop modern tourism in Morocco. Aided by its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation since 2004, the city continues to be a tourist destination today.

Landmarks

thumb|The walls of Mazagan, with the sea gate visible in the middle left

Fortress of Mazagan

The design of the Fortress of Mazagan is a response to the development of modern artillery in the Renaissance. The star form of the fortress measures c 250m by 300m. The slightly inclined, massive walls are c 8m high on average, with a thickness of 10m, enclosing a patrolling peripheral walkway 2m wide. At the present time the fortification has four bastions: the Angel Bastion in the east, St Sebastian in the north, St Antoine in the west, and the Holy Ghost Bastion in the south. The fifth, the Governor's Bastion at the main entrance, is in ruins, having been destroyed by the Portuguese in 1769. Numerous colonial-era Portuguese cannons are still positioned on top of the bastions.

The fort had three gates: the Seagate, forming a small port with the north-east rampart, the Bull Gate in the north-west rampart, and the main entrance with a double arch in the centre of the south rampart, originally connected to land via a drawbridge. A ditch, c 20m wide and 3m deep, formerly filled with seawater, surrounded the fort. During the time of the French Protectorate the ditch was filled in with earth and a new entrance gate was opened leading to the main street, the Rua da Carreira, and to the Seagate. Along this street are situated the best preserved historic buildings, including the Catholic Church of the Assumption and the Portuguese cistern.

The Citadel

thumb|[[Portuguese Cistern (Mazagan)|Portuguese cistern under the citadel of Mazagan, in Manueline style]]

The Citadel, located at the heart of the walled city, was the first permanent Portuguese construction on this site in 1514. It is a building with a rectangular floor plan measuring about , with three major rooms around a central space and four towers (one at each corner). The southern El-Briya Tower (originally known as al-Burayja) was of local, pre-Portuguese origin and it was here that the Portuguese first took refuge when they arrived in 1502. Its original function is not clear. It may have been an armory, barracks, A round opening in the center of the chamber served to collect rainwater.

Churches

thumb|upright|[[Church of the Assumption (El Jadida)|Church of Our Lady of Assumption]]

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, a prominent building located south of the Citadel, was the main parish church of the Portuguese settlement. It was constructed or begun when the fortress was expanded in 1541. It has a nave, a choir, a sacristy, and a square-shafted bell tower.

Museum of Resistance and Independence

Located near the beach south of the old city and the port, this museum and exhibition space is dedicated to the memory of Moroccan soldiers and resistance to the French Protectorate regime. It is housed in a 20th-century colonial era building constructed in a "Mauresque" style.

Climate

El Jadida has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). In winter there is more rainfall than in summer. The average annual temperature in El Jadida is . About of precipitation falls annually. The city is also a popular summer holiday resort for Moroccan families. It also serves as a base for other industries.

Barcelos, Portugal (2009)
Nabeul, Tunisia (1985)
Sète, France (1992)
Sintra, Portugal (1988)
Varennes, Canada
Vierzon, France (1987)
Tacoma, United States (2007)

References

External links

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