El Jedida

‘Mazagan’, named ‘El-Jadida’ by the Moroccans in the 19th century (which means ‘the new’), was a Portuguese fortress that was built along Morocco’s Atlantic coastline. In 1502, the Portuguese first settled the site of ‘Mazagan’, after it had been a Portuguese protectorate since 1486. The only construction was a tower called ‘el-Brija’ (which is mentioned in different Arabic and foreign documents), dating back from the 11th century. The Portuguese discovered the location on an expedition to India and it was one of their first settlements created in Africa.

Maroko - El Jadida

Source picture (with kind permission): T. Baran

The fortification of ‘Mazagan’ was built in two phases (1510-1514 and 1541-1548). In 1514 the Portuguese decided to build a citadel (which was designed by the brothers ‘Francisco’ and ‘Diogo de Arruda’). In 1541, after the loss of ‘Agadir’, the Portuguese decided to enlarge the citadel into a fortification. In this period, ‘Mazagan’ underwent rapid urban development. Between 1541 and 1548, ‘Joao Ribeiro’ and ‘Juan Castillo’ extended the citadel, transforming it into a star-shaped fortification (with the construction of a number of civil and military buildings). The ‘Alaouite’ sultan ‘Sidi Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallāh’ (1757–1790) conquered the fortified site, forcing the Portuguese to leave.

Maroko - El Jadida

Source picture (with kind permission): T. Baran

After more than two and half centuries (267 years of wars and truces), the occupation of the last Portuguese stronghold in Morocco came to an end in 1769. The Portuguese were forced to leave whereby the town was burnt down and large parts of the main rampart were destroyed.  The city remained uninhabited for nearly half a century and was called ‘al-Mahdouma’ (The Ruined).

Entrance to El Jadida

Source picture (with kind permission): Shahrazad26

In the mid-19th century (1824), Sultan ‘Mawlāy ‘Abd al-Rahmān’ ordered the Pasha of the region to rebuild the lost parts of the fortification (in a style differing somewhat from the rest), to build a mosque, and to rehabilitate this former Portuguese city. The name ‘Mazagan’ was now banned, and the city was called ‘El-Jadida’ (The New, The Novel).

Maroko - El Jadida

Source picture (with kind permission): T. Baran

The fortifications are impressive by their monumentality and their styles and have conserved their original structure and architectural harmony till present day.  The emblematic monuments (ramparts, bastions, cistern, and churches) are well preserved. During the French protectorate, the town became an administrative centre and a beach resort, but its port gradually lost out to ‘Safi’ and ‘Casablanca’.

Portuguese Cisternes EXPLORED!

Source picture (with kind permission): Shahrazad26

‘Mazagan’ was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 and encloses several monuments that mostly date to the Portuguese occupation and several from the ‘Alaouite’ era. The old city has a sleepy but atmospheric medina. A lack of investment has helped maintain the integrity of the town’s rambling alleys and ramparts. Over the last few years, both Moroccans and foreigners have started buying up property in the old walled town. The 16 km long sandy beach is the focal point of the city.

Fishing port

Source picture (with kind permission): Shahrazad26

El Jedida is part of the tourism region ‘Centre Atlantique‘ of Morocco.