As do most of
the Kingdoms towns, Tangier, the White City, possesses its
Medina, the old Arab town containing a pair of picturesque
markets : the Grand Socco and the Petit Socco (the Spanish
word for "souk").
And apart from the well-known journalist Joseph Kessel, who in
1952 devoted a remarkable book "To the Grand Socco", a whole
host of other great names from the world of the arts have been
captivated by the sights and sounds of the city on the Straits.
Many have spent long periods there, some have even made it their
home. The rattle and hum of the Grand Socco has entranced all
who watched" .. from morning to evening, the vendors, the
customers and the plain curious milling around in sun and wind
among the hundred colors of canopy and thousand tongues at
work..."
Tangier is also renowned for the Mendoubia gardens, with their
eight-hundred-year-old trees, the Sidi Bouabid Mosque, its
minaret decorated with multi-hued faiences dominating the
Medina, the Kasbah Square with its portico of white marble
columns, and the great Mechouar where the pashas were once wont
to give audience. The status of international free zone which
the city enjoyed for a number of years added to Tangier's
celebrity, and it has become an obligatory stop-off for any
tourist in search of the real Morocco.
Sites to visit:
The Kasbah:
District of ancient palaces, the Kasbah looks out from the
heights dominating the harbor and city.
The Mechouar:
Main square of the Kasbah dating from the 17th century
under the reign of Moulay Ismail.
Dar El Makhzen:
Rebuilt in 1740 this palace today has become the Museum
of Moroccan Arts of Tangier. It boasts a wonderfully
representative collection of handicrafts from all over Morocco.
Forbes Museum:
This museum is located in a part the former dwelling of
American billionaire Malcolm Forbes who bequeathed it to the
City of Tangier 1990 shortly before his death. This museum has a
collection of 115 000 military miniatures depicting the greatest
battles in history (Waterloo 1815, the battle of the 3 kings,
the armies of Sultan Abdel Malek...).
Hafa Café:
This café has been in operation since the 1920s. It is
utterly unique because of the site where it stands. It is
nestled against a cliff and includes several small terraces. A
lovely world unto itself steeped in inviting shade, amidst beds
of flowers, the casual traveler inevitably feels the urge to
step in and relax. Among countless others, the Beatles, Randy
Weston and Sean Connery all visited here to sip delicious mint
tea.
Cervantes Theater:
Inaugurated in 1913, this theater was for a time the largest in
North Africa. Its extraordinary architecture, the 1400 seats,
and its technical installations, among the most up-to-date of
the times, were perfect for welcoming the very greatest artists,
for instance Lola Flores.
The Grand Socco:
Located at the entrance to the old town (medina), the
Grand Socco is the most bustling part of the whole town. It
encloses the old residence of the Mendoub (representative of the
Sultan). The Embassy of Germany also chose this site to install
its diplomatic services in the 1940s. Today the building has
been turned into a courthouse sporting a magnificent garden.
Centuries old trees bear witness to the historical importance of
this location.
The petit Socco:
This area constitutes the core of the town dotted with small
cafés and old hotels. It also boasts an old mosque built in the
18th century on top of the ruins of an old Portuguese cathedral.
Saint Andrew's church:
In the 1880s a drive was organized for the construction
of this church which was needed by the British who had begun to
come to live in Tangier. Sultan Moulay Hassan I made his own
contribution by donating the land. In 1884 the bell tower was
erected and the arch bears an engraved prayer in Arabic so
highly significant of this church's particular character.
The United State Legation :
This building was the very first purchase made by the United
States government abroad further to Morocco's being the first
country to recognize the independence of the new nation. Up to
1923 it was called "consulate" after which it was given the name
of legation. Today it exhibits many works of great painters and
ancient geographical maps including that of Leon the African.
The New Town:
The main passageway of the new town is the Boulevard
Pasteur with bright modern buildings running along each side. At
one point there is an open site with a magnificent view looking
out over the harbor and bay of Tangier. This site is called
"Sour Al Maagazine" or "wall of the lazy."
Jbel EL Kebir:
This is the residential quarter of Tangier where one can
admire the magnificent homes and sumptuous palaces situated
under the shade of the forest.