Casablanca - Nour-eddine Saoudi
El Jadida is one of Morocco’s most beautiful cities and well known resorts because of its location on the Atlantic Ocean, moderate climate and splendid beaches: Deauville, Sidi Bouzid and Haouzia.
The city also has famous monuments dating back to the 16th century: the" Portuguese City" and the port. There are numerous activities, forums and Moussemses (festivals), the most popular being the Moussem Moulay Abdallah Amghar, which includes folk dances, the ancestral technique of falconry, and the especially famous "Fantasia" or "Tbourida" (race on horseback that ends with a collective, synchronized shooting of rifles), providing a unique opportunity for the region’s horsemen to show their skills.
This ancestral city has been designated by numerous appellations. The Romans and called it Rusibis, according to Ptolemy who described the African west coast. The Portuguese occupied the region during the 16th century, because of its strategic location on the Moroccan coast and in 1506 founded a fortress and a city which they named Mazagan. Sultan Alaouite Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah was able to free it in 1769, after a long siege. But, the Portuguese resorted to the use of mines and after their departure much of the city and the defensive wall was destroyed. It lay abandoned and was named "Al Mahdouma", the ruined city. Sultan Moulay Abderrahman ordered its reconstruction in 1832 called it Al Jadida (New).
During the French "Protectorate" the city was again famous. General Lyautey (the first French general resident in Morocco) nicknamed it the" Deauville of Morocco ". This name has been retained for one of the beaches. After independence the name Al Jadida was used once again.
The city’s rich historical heritage promoted its registration as a human heritage site by UNESCO this year. The registration will foster the development of the city and Doukkala region and broaden the horizon of cultural exchanges with many international partners.
The Ten Years Development Plan for Moroccan Tourism (that aims to attract 10 million tourists in 2010) chose the city of Jadida El among the main sea resorts to develop, along with Taghazoute, Saâïdia, Essaouira, Larache and the White Beach. An agreement was signed last July, between Morocco and the Kerzner group for the development of the infrastructure and a major marine centre called Mazagan, on an area of 500 ha.
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