Grand Socco
Encyclopedia
Grand Socco is a square in the medina
area of central Tangier
, Morocco
and the larger of the Petit Socco
which make up the medina of the city. The Grand Socco divides the medina from the Ville Nouvelle area of Tangier. The square was named Place du Grand 9 Avril 1947 after the speech of Mohammed V in support of Moroccan independence on April 9, 1947. Mendoubia Gardens forms part of the area where there is a large marble fountain and park benches.
The square, which underwent further development in 2005, is particularly active during the evenings when vendors put up their extensive displays and sell a diversity of second-hand goods and fruits and spices in the square. The market is particularly colorful, and the female peasant sellers are known for their striped fouta
s and wide-brimmed straw hats. Nearby are the Forbes Museum of Tangier
, the Anglican Church of St. Andrew (1894) and the Sidi Bou Abib Mosque
(1917).
Medina quarter
A medina quarter is a distinct city section found in many North African cities. The medina is typically walled, contains many narrow and maze-like streets...
area of central Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
, 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...
and the larger of the Petit Socco
Petit Socco
Petit Socco , also known as the "Souk Dakhli" is a square in the Medina area of central Tangier, Morocco. It was once home to many notable writers and affluent people in the city and is connected by the Rue Es-Siaghine The square lies in the area of Tangier on which the forum of the Roman Tingis...
which make up the medina of the city. The Grand Socco divides the medina from the Ville Nouvelle area of Tangier. The square was named Place du Grand 9 Avril 1947 after the speech of Mohammed V in support of Moroccan independence on April 9, 1947. Mendoubia Gardens forms part of the area where there is a large marble fountain and park benches.
The square, which underwent further development in 2005, is particularly active during the evenings when vendors put up their extensive displays and sell a diversity of second-hand goods and fruits and spices in the square. The market is particularly colorful, and the female peasant sellers are known for their striped fouta
Fouta
A Fouta, also known as a Foutanké, is a breed of light horse from Senegal in West Africa. It is a composite of the Fleuve and M'Bayar breeds....
s and wide-brimmed straw hats. Nearby are the Forbes Museum of Tangier
Forbes Museum of Tangier
Forbes Museum of Tangier was a museum founded by the American publisher of Forbes magazine, Malcolm Forbes, in Tangier, Morocco.The museum had been located in Malcolm Forbes' Palais Mendoub, a property located on the Marshan in Tangier, and had a collection of a total of 115,000 models of lead...
, the Anglican Church of St. Andrew (1894) and the Sidi Bou Abib Mosque
Sidi Bou Abib Mosque
Sidi Bou Abib Mosque is a mosque overlooking the Grand Socco medina area of central Tangier, Morocco from the southwest. It was built in 1917 and is decorated in polychrome tiles. Near Bab Fahs, a double gateway leading into the medina are the Mendoubia Gardens....
(1917).