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Portuguese City, El Jadida old town
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Portuguese City, El Jadida old town
This old Portuguese town, often known as the CitePortugaise, has a sleepy but atmospheric Unesco World Heritage medina. A lack of investment has helped maintain the integrity of the towns rambling alleys and ramparts. For much of the year El Jadida is a quiet backwater, disturbed only by the crowds of Moroccans flocking to its beautiful beaches and strolling its boulevards in July and August.In 1506 the Portuguese built a fortress here to protect their ships and baptised it Mazagan, which soon developed into the countrys most important trading post. Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah seized Mazagan from the Portuguese following a siege in 1769, but the Portuguese blew up most of the fort before leaving. Most of the new settlers preferred to live in the new town and the citadel remained a ruin until the early 19th century when Sultan And er Rahman resettled some of the Jews of Azemmour in old Mazagan, and renamed the town El-Jadida, the New One in Arabic.The large and influential Jewish community soon grew rich on trade with the interior, and unlike most other Moroccan cities, there was no mellah (Jewish quarter); the Jews mixed with the general populace and an attitude of easy tolerance was established in the city. During the French protectorate the town became an administrative centre and a beach resort, but its port gradually lost out to Safi and Casablanca.Over the last few years, both Moroccans and foreigners have started buying up property in the old walled town, including the old colonial church. Just north of the town, on a gorgeous stretch of beach, is the recently opened tourist resort of Mazagan, which includes a golf course, casino, spa and large resort hotel. The old town of El-Jadida in the next few years will be given a new, if very different, lease of life
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Fernando Vazquez Miras
Media ID 13418055
© dwayne miras photography
African Ethnicity Fort Harbor Moroccan Culture Morocco Old Town One Woman Only Portuguese Culture Unrecognizable Person Azemmour El Jadida
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the essence of El Jadida's old town, also known as the Cite Portugaise. The UNESCO World Heritage medina exudes a tranquil and atmospheric charm that has been preserved due to a lack of investment. As you navigate through its meandering alleys and ramparts, you can't help but be transported back in time. Once an important Portuguese trading post, Mazagan Fortress was constructed here in 1506 to safeguard their ships. However, after a siege led by Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah in 1769, most of the fort was destroyed before the Portuguese departed. It wasn't until Sultan And er Rahman resettled some Jews from Azemmour in the early 19th century that new life began to breathe into this ancient citadel. Renamed El-Jadida, meaning "the New One" in Arabic, it became home to a thriving Jewish community who coexisted harmoniously with other residents. During the French protectorate era, El Jadida transformed into both an administrative center and beach resort; however, its port gradually lost prominence to Safi and Casablanca over time. Recently though, there has been a resurgence of interest among Moroccans and foreigners alike who have begun investing in properties within the walled town. Just north lies Mazagan Resort—a modern tourist destination featuring amenities like golf courses, casinos, spas, and large hotels—contrasting sharply with El Jadida's historical ambiance. Through Fernando Vazquez Miras' lens captured on this print from Fine Art Storehouse, the timeless beauty of El Jadida's old town is immortalized for all to appreciate and cherish for years to come.
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