Al Hoceima

The western Mediterranean coastline was marked by traces of a long history, the coast of Al Hoceima being no exception. In most documents, the history of this area started until the 15th century, which really is remarkable when you look at for example the history of Melilla 100 km away who has a history to the Greek era.

There are rumors of an ancient Roman city buried under the Nokour area without official archaeological evidence. Nekur, formerly called “Azrou n tassrithe” (which can be literally translated as “the stone of the bride”), was a religious temple in the pre-Islamic period.

In the seventh century, when there was only one North African city founded by Muslims – Kairouan in Tunisia (the Ifriquia of the time) – Nekour took second place in the Maghreb. It will radiate for four centuries. Nekour being the outcome of the long gold route from the tripe of Africa, it drew its economic strength from the trans-Saharan and Mediterranean trade: this advantageous geographical position made it a prosperous city on the agricultural level , Industrial and cultural.

The remains of this city represent a major source for researchers who are still looking at it to retrace its history in view of its avant-gardism in Islamic urban planning in Morocco.

The city of Bades (Parientina) would have been Roman in the 2nd century, but the inhabitants strongly resisted the Romans. In the 8th century, the Salihides founded the small Emirate of Nekor in the bay of Al Hoceima which was invaded and destroyed by the Almoravids in the eleventh century.

The port city of Bades of Gomara, frequently visit in the fourteenth century by European commercial ships, was connected by a caravan route to Fes, an important city of Morocco at that time, founded by Abou Yakoub Albadissi.

Considered one of the oldest douars of the Rif, it retains its traditional architecture typical of the Rif with houses built with stones and cob. This douar is located at an altitude of about 700m on the cliffs of the Mediterranean coast. Among the monuments of the douar is an ancient 12th century mosque built by the Merinids and the sanctuary of Lhaj Ali Abu Hassoun, former spiritual leader of the douar.

Almazamma is a prehistoric city of which Nekour, after his conversion to Islam, will seize to make its port from the year 710. At the time of the destruction of the commercial heart of Nekour by the Almoravides, the town of Almazamma will not only play the role of economic center but also of the military ally of the Almohads, the third dynasty reigning in Morocco in the 12th century that will consolidate its wall With the aim of overthrowing the Almoravid regime in the Moroccan territories. The city continued to develop until the arrival of the Alawite dynasty in the 17th century, still in its reign at the present time, it was definitively destroyed in the year 1666 by the Sultan Moulay Rachid who had not alone To end the powerful Aarras family who reigned over Badis and Almazamma at that time.

Today it has become an archaeological site, one can still see the traces of the ancient city: foundations, walls and dungeons.

Boussekour was a 16th century coastal town, located in the Bousekkour valley near the mouth of Tarmast River. There are not many historical vestiges in the area, but there are many marabouts and old cemeteries in the valley. The floods and wars that the region has known have almost completely eradicated the vestiges that testified to its existence. The inhabitants say that the city of Boussekour was very large and that it occupied an important commercial rank after the fall of the Emirate of Nekor and that of the Mazama, placed in the bay of Al Hoceima. Boussekour was baptized Botoye by its inhabitants in the XVIIth century.

Torres de Alcala (City Jordana) was a fishing village located near the island of Bades (Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera). Named for the five towers built by the Portuguese in the 17th century. At the time of the Spanish protectorate, the village was named Jordan City because of the size of its Jewish population.

In 1926, part of a combined attack on the ADB EL KARIM’s Rif army, landed a Spanish army unit led by General Sangurgo on the mainland of AL Hoceima and the first tents were lined up on Jebel Moroviego. Mainland. AL Hoceima was finally in the hands of the Spaniards, the foundation of the then ‘Villa Sangurgo’ began.

Finally, because the Spanish already had a long interest in this field, they were already on the island Nokour (Penon de Alhucemas). In 1559 the Spaniards of the then Sultan of Morocco, Mulay Abdala got all the islands of Al Hoceima owned in exchange for defense against the Turks. In 1561, the Spanish built a fort on the island Nokour.

These islands are officially colonized only in 1668 after several shootings between Irifien and the Spaniards. From 1673 until now, there are Spanish soldiers present on these islands. This area was of great strategic importance for the Spaniards. It was halfway between Ceuta and Melilla and had two well protected coves (Nokour and Bades) that are often used as intermediate stations for commercial shipping.

The Spanish built their first military barracks (still used by the Moroccan navy) and houses for soldiers and created the still famous ancient neighborhoods of the city. You can still find old Spanish houses although there are fewer and fewer. In 1956 the Spaniards withdrew from AL Hoceima.

The main source of income was fishing. Nowadays you can not speak of an important source of income for AL Hoceima itself. Another source of income is tourism. Beautiful beaches and stunning mountain scenery attracted many tourists to the area. International tourism also faded and the massive domestic tourism came in his place. AL Hoceima is often referred to as the forgotten riviera.