Presentation of the city

The town of Tétouan (in Arab, تطوان Titwan deformation of the word Tittawen in Riffian Amazigh (Tarifit), plural of Tit = eye or source) is the capital and the arts center of the area of the Tanja in the north of the Morocco; she is regarded as the Andalusian city of the kingdom. In 2007, its population is of 648277 inhabitants; it is the 5th more big city of the kingdom after Casablanca, Rabat, Fès and Marrakech. The tetouanis, under the direction of Mohammed Ben Abdelkrim El Khattabi participérent with the war of the Rif, of which the battle of Anoual, against the Spanish troops.

The city is located in the Rif at approximately 40 kilometers at the east of the town of Tangier and is rather close to the Straits of Gibraltar. It is located in a valley (the cluse of Tétouan) dug by the Mhannech wadi in the mountains of the calcareous chain of Rif at north and the south. Close to Tétouan, one finds several coastal towns very tourist like Mediek and Martil, and of the vacation villages like Marina Smir and Cabo Negro.

History

The city exists since the IIIe century before our era, of the vestiges of the Roman eras and Phénicie there born was found, coming from the ancient city of Tamuda. Phéniciens as for them established in their time a counter with the mouth of the Martil Wadi.

The site of the city is mentioned the first time by the Andalusian geographer Abou Oubayd Al Bakri in XIème century, then by Almohades sources in XIIème.

Towards 1305, a strengthened city is established by the sultan Merinide Abou Tabit. It is used as a basis to attack the town of Ceuta. In 1399, the city is destroyed by the Spanish in order to stop the attacks of Pirate S for which the city constituted a base camp.

According to the Skirej historian, in 888 H (1483), 80 Moorishes come from Grenade had started to build houses in part called Al Balad, but were badgered by the tribe with Beni Hozmar which asserted the property of the site. Having been informed of their complaints, the Sultan Mohammad Ach-Chaikh Al Wattassi (m into 910 H, 1504) lent 40.000 to them Mithqal and sent 40 guards of Fès and 40 of Rif to protect them. He wrote to the governor of Chefchaouen, Sidi Ali Ibn Rached (Mr. into 917 H, 1511), founder of the city, to ask him to send a qualified person to them to build a wall of protection. Thus Sidi Mohammed Ben Ali Al Mandari (m in 900 H, 1494), a general of Andalusian origin rejoigna the city of which he will become governor and architect. He is regarded as the true founder of the city.

In 1492, the Reconquista (reconquest of Spain) finishes with the fall of Grenade which drives out South of Spain of the thousands of Moslems and Jews which settled in the city.

The population was also increased by the massive expulsion of the Moorishes by Felipe III in 1609.

Then, the city knows to the XVII and XVIII centuries a great rise thanks to its statute of Mediterranean port (Martil) by which forward the goods towards or coming from the Fès capital, other Moroccan ports being under the Portuguese occupation. The harbor marketing activity will be finally transferred to Tangier, port which can accommodate larger ships. After the Spanish occupation in 1913, Tétouan becomes the capital of the Spanish Morocco and until the Independence of Morocco in 1956 will remain it. The area is then integrated into Morocco. It preserved a Andalusian heart which makes of it more the hispano-Moorish of the Moroccan cities.

As in the remainder of the Andalusian cities of Morocco (Reduction, Salted, Chaouen and Fès), much of families still carry Moorish names (Moriscos), corresponding in general to nicknames evoking of the places, like Torres, Molina, Castillo, Aragon, Medina, Paez, Baeza, Morales etc, often speak Spanish, and the panels are written at the same time in Arab and in Spanish.

Ethnography

The company tétouanaise at the beginning primarily consisted of Moorishes Moslems and Jews, to which families of Fez-native senior officials sent by the Sultan joined. The rural migration and the marketing activity saw the installation of many families Jebala of the close tribes (Beni Hozmar, Beni Maadane, Beni Said, Ghomara, Beni Idder etc). The city also knew the arrival of many Algerian families who enriched the company by their music and their pastry making with Turkish receipts. The Riffian component became numerous (Beni Ouriaghel), attracted by the marketing activity of the city and fleeing the unfavourable mountain conditions of Rif exchange. Years 1960 saw quickly decreasing the number of Jews, left for Israel or Spain, as well as the Spanish families which had remained after Independence.

Monuments

The Médina (old city) of Tétouan is registered on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO. It occupies with the eyes of the specialists the first place in all the médinas in Morocco. The style hispano-Moorish takes all its dimension here, in particular in the districts of dwelling where the wrought iron grids of the windows give all their expression to these thick immaculate frontages.

The principal element of Médina is consisted the ramparts which surround the city. These ramparts leave the passage through the doors which are:

  • Bab El Oqla
  • Bab Nouader
  • Bab All
  • Bab Saaida
  • Bab Rouah
  • Bab Mqabare
  • Bab Ejjyafe

Inside the city, the lanes are picturesque and grouillant of world. One will be able to visit:

  • El Feddane (heart of the city)
  • Tarrafine (shops of jewels)
  • Ghersa El Kébira (place of varied trade)
  • the place of Usâa
  • Al Jamaa Al Kabir (Large Mosque)
  • Madrasat Lukach…
  • Mellah (old Jewish district)

List districts of the city

  • the médina (old Andalusian city)
  • Chanti (El Ensanche, European district built by Spanish)
  • Ziyana
  • Touilaa (district of emigrants)
  • Saniat Errmel (popular)
etc

Economy

A long time related to the international business through the port of Martil, the current saving in Tétouan rests primarily on the small shop and balneal tourism with especially Moroccan customers. The production facilities, confined with the industrial District of Martil, are very few and modest. The hotel infrastructure knew these last years a rapid growth. Part of the population still saw trade of smuggled goods brought back of Ceuta, but this activity knows a notable decline because of the improvement of the quality of the Moroccan products. For lack of work, most of the young people emigrated towards Europe, in particular towards Spain, the Netherlands and Germany.

The development of Tétouan is also articulated around:

  1. the highway Tétouan - Fnideq
  2. the Tétouan highway - Tangier
  3. the port Tangier Med and its free zone Negro Wadi in Fnideq
  4. direct overseas investments of the world groups in the tourist sectors, in particular Spanish giant FADESA
  5. transfers of the Morrocans resident abroad
  6. geographical proximity of Europe

Culture

Tétouan being often regarded as the capital of the classic arts and place of the meetings of the various religions and cultures. It shelters in particular the Presidency of the University Abdelmalek Saadi, with the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Letters and Social sciences, as well as the National university. It has many spaces in cultural matter:
  1. the Institute of the Art schools
  2. the General Library
  3. the House of Culture
  4. the archaeological Museum
  5. the International Academy of Music
  6. International Centers of languages ((French, Spanish, English, German, Dutch…))
  7. the large Libraries
  8. Of the libraries and private archives (Daoudiya, Bennouna, Torrès)

Festivals

  1. International festival of the Mediterranean Cinema of Tétouan
  2. International festival of Lute of Tétouan
  3. International festival of the Cartoon

Curiosities around Tétouan

  1. Tangier to 50 km
  2. Chefchaouen to 60 km
  3. Martil to 4 km
  4. Mdiq to 12 km
  5. Fnideq to 35 km
  6. Ceuta to 40 km
  7. Laou Wadi to 45 km
  8. Casablanca with 380km
  9. reduction with 300km
  10. fés with 260km
  11. oujda to 600 km
  12. nador with 400km
  13. Al hoceima with 250km
  14. meknés with 220km
  15. larache with 100km
#Ksar Sghir to 65 km

Principal personalities tétouanaises

Although the relations were generally tended with the local representatives of the Central administration of Meknès, Fès and Rabat, the personalities tétouanaises often profited from the confidence of the Sovereigns of Morocco. Thus, several personalities occupied through the history of the country of the ministerial positions, the stations of Lamine (administrative goods of the State or the Sultan), stations of Ambassadors (country Spanish-speaking) and even of the stations of Royal Protocol. Among the many personalities, one will quote:
  • Mohammad Daoud, he is the historian of the city through his work Tarikh Tetouan in several volumes
  • Abdessalam Skirej (historian of the city)
  • Abdelkhaleq Torres (politicking and resistant, founder of the party of the Reform, former minister)
  • Abdesslam Bennouna (former minister and cofounder of resistance)
  • Me hammed Benaboud father (resistant)
  • Me hammed Benaboud wire (historian of Tetouan and Al Andalus)
  • Abou El Abbas Ahmed R' houni (historian and sociologist)
In the cultural field, one will quote:
  • Abdessadaq Chqara (musician)
  • Ahmed Benyissef (painter, installed with Sevilla)

Internal bond

  • Mediek

External bonds

  • Tétouan
  • موقعالحمامةالبيضاء
  • Gate Web of Tétouan

Random links:Nora Greenwald | Waterhouse Football Club | Byblos hotel | The Invitation with the castle | Rotating presidency

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org