El Jadida
Encyclopedia
El Jadida 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.
El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502 by the Portuguese, and they controlled this city until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão. Its inhabitants were evacuated to Brazil
, where they founded new settlement Nova Mazagão
(now in Amapá
). El Jadida was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah.
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, the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern, and the Manueline
Church of the Assumption.
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 presence of nearby ports and factories is responsible for the pollution
of El Jadida's beaches.
The modern city of Essaouira
(containing some of the earliest recorded Phoenicia
n settlement history of Morocco: the archaeological ruins of Mogador) connects to El Jadida from the south via the R301
road.
, France
Arenzano
, Italy
Tacoma, United States
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, in the province of El Jadida
El Jadida (province)
El Jadida is a province of Morocco, in the area of Doukkala-Abda. The province takes its name from the chief city - 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
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
walls of hewn stone.
El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502 by the Portuguese, and they controlled this city until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão. Its inhabitants were evacuated to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where they founded new settlement Nova Mazagão
Mazagão
Mazagão is a municipality located in the south of the state of Amapá in Brazil. Its population is 13,913 and its area is 13,131 km²....
(now in Amapá
Amapá
Amapá is one of the states of Brazil, located in the extreme north, bordering French Guiana and Suriname to the north. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south and west is the Brazilian state of Pará. Perhaps one of the main features of the state is the River Oiapoque, as it was once...
). El Jadida was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah.
According to UNESCO, the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern, and the Manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
Church of the Assumption.
At present, the city's main exports are beans, almonds, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, chickpeas, wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
, hides
Hides
A hide is an animal skin treated for human use. Hides include leather from cattle and other livestock animals, alligator skins, snake skins for shoes and fashion accessories and furs from wild cats, mink and bears. In some areas, leather is produced on a domestic or small industrial scale, but most...
, wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
and eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
. It imports cotton, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
. The presence of nearby ports and factories is responsible for the pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
of El Jadida's beaches.
The modern city of Essaouira
Essaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
(containing some of the earliest recorded Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n settlement history of Morocco: the archaeological ruins of Mogador) connects to El Jadida from the south via the R301
R301
R301 is a coastal highway in Western Morocco connecting the cities of Essaouira and El Jadida. This paved highway varies between two and four lanes of travel. In many locations views of the Atlantic Ocean coastline are available. There are a number of coastal bridges spanned by the B301 including...
road.
Landmarks of El Jadida/Mazagan
- The Municipal Theater of El Jadida
- The Portuguese Cistern
- The Canons and the Fortress
- The Old Port
People
- Cheikh Chouaib Doukkali, former minister of Justice and president of the Appellate court
- Driss ChraïbiDriss ChraïbiDriss Chraïbi was a Moroccan author whose novels deal with colonialism, culture clashes, generational conflict and the treatment of women and are often semi-autobiographical....
, author - Driss JettouDriss Jettou-Early life and education:Jettou was born in the town of El-Jadida. After secondary studies at El Khawarizmi college in Casablanca, he obtained a technical Baccalauréat in mathematics in 1964. He then joined the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat where he graduated in physics and chemistry in 1966...
, former Prime Minister - Abdelkebir KhatibiAbdelkebir KhatibiAbdelkebir Khatibi was a Moroccan literary critic, novelist and playwright. Affected in his late twenties by the rebellious spirit of 1960s counterculture, he challenged in his writings the social and political norms upon which the countries of the Maghreb region were constructed.-Career:A native...
, author - Chaibia, painter
- André ElbazAndré ElbazAndré Elbaz is a famous Moroccan painter and filmmaker.Elbaz studied art and theatre in Rabat and Paris from 1950 to 1961. He started painting only at the age of 21, until which age he had been interested mainly in theatre...
, painter and film-maker - André GuelfiAndré GuelfiAndré Guelfi is a former racing driver from France. He was born in Mazagan, Morocco. He participated in one Formula One World Championship race, on 19 October 1958. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races....
, racing driver
Town twinning
VierzonVierzon
Vierzon is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A medium-sized town by the banks of the Cher River with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Arenzano
Arenzano
Arenzano is a coastal town and comune in the province of Genoa, Liguria, Italy. , it has a population of 11,568. This varies a lot during the holiday seasons, since it is a reasonably popular holiday resort for Italians....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Tacoma, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...