El Jadida

El Jadida جّديدة
Panorama of El Jadida
El Jadida Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 33°14′N 8°30′W / 33.233°N 8.500°W / 33.233; -8.500
Country	Morocco
Region	Casablanca-Settat
Province	El Jadida Province
Population (2010)
• Total	147,549
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	WEST (UTC+1)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Designated	2004 (28th session)
Reference no.	1058
State Party	Morocco
Region	Arab States

Market, El Jadida, 2012

El Jadida (Arabic: جّديدة ejjdida ; Berber: ⵎⴰⵣⴰⵖⴰⵏ Mazaɣan ; Portuguese: Mazagão) is a port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the province of El Jadida. It has a population of 144,440 (2004 census). From the sea, El Jadida's old city has a very "un-Moorish" appearance; it has massive Portuguese walls of hewn stone.^[1]

Manueline cistern of the El Jadida fortress.

Ramparts of El Jadida

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,^[2] the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern, and the Manueline Church of the Assumption.

The city, and particularly its neighbouring town of Sidi Bouzid, becomes extremely busy in the summer season with an influx of mainly Moroccan holiday-makers. Nearby is the five-star resort complex of Mazagan, which attracts the Moroccan elite as well as many international visitors from the Persian Gulf as well as from Europe and beyond. Mazagan has a golf course designed by Gary Player, casino, nightclub and restaurants. Between Mazagan and El Jadida is the Pullman Hotel, attached to which is Royal Golf El Jadida, another 18-hole course. The presence of nearby ports and factories is responsible for the pollution of El Jadida's beaches.

At present, the city's main exports are beans, almonds, maize, chickpeas, wool, hides, wax and eggs. It imports cotton, sugar, tea and rice. The city is expanding as of 2014, partly as a result of increased activity at the nearby Jorf Lasfar port and industrial area.

Landmarks of El Jadida

• The Cannons and the Fortress
• The Municipal Theater of El Jadida
• The Old Port
• The Portuguese Cistern

Portuguese Cistern

Built in 1514, this former warehouse (possibly an armory) was converted into a cistern in the 16th century. The underground chamber, measuring 34 meters by 34 meters, was constructed with five rows of five stone pillars. The cistern is famous especially for the thin layer of water that covers the floor, and which creates fine and exciting reflections from the little light there is and the spartan shapes of the columns and the roof. Its visual qualities are such that several movies have been filmed within the cavernous space, of which Orson Welles' Othello is the best known internationally.

Fortress of Mazagan

The design of the Fortress of Mazagan is a response to the development of modern artillery in the Renaissance.^[3] 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 cistern.

History

El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502 by the Portuguese and controlled until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão, their last territory in Morocco. Upon their forced departure, the Portuguese destroyed the Governor's Bastion and evacuated to the Portuguese colony of Brazil, where they founded a new settlement called Nova Mazagão (now in Amapá). The city was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah in 1769 and remained uninhabited, having been dubbed al-Mahdouma (The Ruined). Eventually, Sultan Abd al-Rahman of Morocco ordered that a mosque be built and the destroyed portions of the city rebuilt. The reinvigorated city was renamed al-Jadida, or The New.^[4]

Nearby cities

The modern city of Essaouira (containing some of the earliest recorded Phoenician settlement history of Morocco: the archaeological ruins of Mogador)^[5] connects to El Jadida from the south via the R301 road.

Notable people

• Driss Chraïbi, author
• Driss Jettou, former Prime Minister
• Abdelkebir Khatibi, author
• Chaibia, painter
• André Elbaz, painter and filmmaker
• André Guelfi, racing driver

Town twinning

• Vierzon, France
• Sintra, Portugal
• Arenzano, Italy
• Tacoma, United States

See also

• Tourism in Morocco

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Jadida.

• (French) Official website

Casablanca-Settat region Capital: Casablanca Provinces Benslimane Province Berrechid Province Casablanca Prefecture El Jadida Province Médiouna Province Mohammadia Prefecture Nouaceur Province Settat Province Sidi Bennour Province Cities Aïn Harrouda Azemmour Ben Ahmed Ben Slimane Berrechid Bouskoura Bouznika Casablanca Deroua El Borouj El Gara El Jadida Lahraouyine Lamkansa Lbir Jdid Loulad Mediouna Mohammedia Nouaceur Oulad Abbou Oulad M'Rah Settat Sidi Bennour Tit Mellil Zemamra

Portuguese overseas empire   North Africa 15th century 1415–1640 Ceuta 1458–1550 Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550 Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662 Tangier 1485–1550 Mazagan (El Jadida) 1487–16th century Ouadane 1488–1541 Safim (Safi) 1489 Graciosa 16th century 1505–1541 Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir) 1506–1525 Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525 Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769 Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541 Azamor (Azemmour) 1515 São João da Mamora (Mehdya) 1577–1589 Arzila (Asilah)   Sub-Saharan Africa 15th century 1455–1633 Anguim 1462–1975 Cape Verde 1470–1975 São Tomé1 1471–1975 Príncipe1 1474–1778 Annobón 1478–1778 Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637 Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642 Portuguese Gold Coast 1508–15472 Madagascar3 1498–1540 Mascarene Islands 16th century 1500–1630 Malindi 1501–1975 Portuguese Mozambique 1502–1659 Saint Helena 1503–1698 Zanzibar 1505–1512 Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511 Socotra 1557–1578 Accra 1575–1975 Portuguese Angola 1588–1974 Cacheu4 1593–1698 Mombassa (Mombasa) 17th century 1645–1888 Ziguinchor 1680–1961 São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974 Bissau4 18th century 1728–1729 Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975 Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974 Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975 Portuguese Congo 1 Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753. 2 Or 1600. 3 A factory (Anosy Region) and small temporary coastal bases. 4 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879.   Southwest Asia 16th century 1506–1615 Gamru (Bandar Abbas) 1507–1643 Sohar 1515–1622 Hormuz (Ormus) 1515–1648 Quriyat 1515–? Qalhat 1515–1650 Muscat 1515?–? Barka 1515–1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602 Bahrain (Muharraq • Manama) 1521–1529? Qatif 1521?–1551? Tarut Island 1550–1551 Qatif 1588–1648 Matrah 17th century 1620–? Khor Fakkan 1621?–? As Sib 1621–1622 Qeshm 1623–? Khasab 1623–? Libedia 1624–? Kalba 1624–? Madha 1624–1648 Dibba Al-Hisn 1624?–? Bandar-e Kong   Indian subcontinent 15th century 1498–1545 Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 16th century Portuguese India  • 1500–1663 Cochim (Kochi)  • 1501–1663 Cannanore (Kannur)  • 1502–1658  1659–1661 Quilon (Coulão / Kollam)  • 1502–1661 Pallipuram (Cochin de Cima)  • 1507–1657 Negapatam (Nagapatnam)  • 1510–1961 Goa  • 1512–1525  1750 Calicut (Kozhikode)  • 1518–1619 Portuguese Paliacate outpost (Pulicat)  • 1521–1740 Chaul   (Portuguese India)  • 1523–1662 Mylapore  • 1528–1666 Chittagong (Porto Grande De Bengala)  • 1531–1571 Chaul  • 1531–1571 Chalé  • 1534–1601 Salsette Island  • 1534–1661 Bombay (Mumbai)  • 1535 Ponnani  • 1535–1739 Baçaím (Vasai-Virar)  • 1536–1662 Cranganore (Kodungallur)  • 1540–1612 Surat  • 1548–1658 Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)  • 1559–1961 Daman and Diu  • 1568–1659 Mangalore   (Portuguese India)  • 1579–1632 Hugli  • 1598–1610 Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521 Maldives 1518–1658 Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1558–1573 Maldives 17th century Portuguese India  • 1687–1749 Mylapore 18th century Portuguese India  • 1779–1954 Dadra and Nagar Haveli   East Asia and Oceania 16th century 1511–1641 Portuguese Malacca 1512–1621 Maluku  • 1522–1575  Ternate  • 1576–1605  Ambon  • 1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665 Makassar 1537–1999 Macau 1571–1639 Decima (Dejima / Nagasaki) 17th century 1642–1975 Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Portuguese Macau  • 1864–1999 Coloane  • 1849–1999 Portas do Cerco  • 1851–1999 Taipa  • 1890–1999 Ilha Verde 20th century Portuguese Macau  • 1938–1941 Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the year of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, East Timor's independence was fully recognized.   North America and the North Atlantic Ocean 15th century 1420 Madeira 1432 Azores 16th century 1500–1579? Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1500–1579? Labrador 1516–1579? Nova Scotia   Central and South America 16th century 1500–1822 Brazil  • 1534–1549  Captaincy Colonies of Brazil  • 1549–1572  Brazil  • 1572–1578  Bahia  • 1572–1578  Rio de Janeiro  • 1578–1607  Brazil  • 1621–1815  Brazil 1536–1620 Barbados 17th century 1621–1751 Maranhão 1680–1777 Nova Colónia do Sacramento 18th century 1751–1772 Grão-Pará and Maranhão 1772–1775 Grão-Pará and Rio Negro 1772–1775 Maranhão and Piauí 19th century 1808–1822 Cisplatina (Uruguay) 1809–1817 Portuguese Guiana (Amapá) 1822 Upper Peru (Bolivia) Coats of arms of Portuguese colonies Evolution of the Portuguese Empire Portuguese colonial architecture Portuguese colonialism in Indonesia Portuguese colonization of the Americas Theory of the Portuguese discovery of Australia

World Heritage Sites in Morocco Northern Medina of Fes el Bali Rabat, modern capital and historic city: a shared heritage Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) Archaeological Roman Site of Volubilis Historic City of Meknes Central Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) Medina of Marrakech Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) Southern Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

Coordinates: 33°14′N 8°30′W / 33.233°N 8.500°W / 33.233; -8.500

El Jadida Province Capital: El Jadida Municipalities Azemmour El Jadida Lbir Jdid Sidi Bennour Zemamra Rural communes Bni Hilal Bni Tsiriss Bouhmame Boulaouane Chaibate Chtouka Haouzia Jabria Khmis Ksiba Koudiat Bni Dghough Kridid Laagagcha Laamria Laaounate Laatatra Laghdira Laghnadra Lamharza Essahel Lgharbia Lmechrek Loualidia M'Tal Metrane Mettouh Mogress Moulay Abdallah Oulad Aissa Oulad Amrane Oulad Boussaken Oulad Frej Oulad Ghanem Oulad Hamdane Oulad Hcine Oulad Rahmoune Oulad Sbaita Oulad Si Bouhya Oulad Sidi Ali Ben Youssef Saniat Berguig Sebt Saiss Si Hsaien Ben Abderrahmane Sidi Abed Sidi Ali Ben Hamdouche Sidi M'Hamed Akhdim Sidi Smail Tamda Zaouiat Lakouacem Zaouiat Saiss