Rabat
According to insidewatch, Rabat is the capital of Morocco. The population of Rabat is about one and a half million people. The city is the political, administrative and cultural center of the state. It houses the main residence of Mohammed 6, all foreign embassies, as well as the ministries of the country. Rabat is a pretty quiet city. There is a huge number of gardens and parks. The city is one of the “imperial” cities. His story is very interesting. In terms of the number of inhabitants, Rabat is second only to the economic center of Morocco – Casablanca. The capital is located on the Atlantic coast, more precisely, on the left bank of the Bou-Re-greg river. Rabat and Saleh, which is its satellite city, form the province of Rabat-Sale.
Sights of Rabat
Kasbah Udaya rises on the south bank of Bou Regreg. It can only be accessed from Ta-riq-al-Marsa street. To do this, you need to go through the Bab al-Kasba gate or the Udaya gate. Sultan Abd al-Mumin from the Almohad dynasty began to build a fortress for military purposes as early as 1158. Later it was used by pirates to defend the mouth of the river from attacks by European warships. The name of the Kasbah comes from the name of the Udaya tribe. During the reign of the Alawites, representatives of this tribe formed the garrison of the fortress. During the construction of the Kasbah, clay, common in Morocco, was used as a building material. In addition, shell rock was used, which was brought from the ocean coast. There are rumors.
The Kasbah is a labyrinth of narrow, clean streets lined with white buildings. Shutters, doors and the bottom of buildings are blue. It will be very interesting to look at the details. For example, door handles are made in the shape of Fatima’s hand, and an iron ashtray fly is placed on the doors. Often these little things seem like real works of art.
Sights of the surroundings of Rabat
The Ethnographic Museum is 4 kilometers away if you walk in the direction of Kenitra. The museum was made from an old factory thanks to Mohammed Abdallah Belhazi. The area of the museum is 5 thousand square meters. The museum is recognized at the state level, despite the fact that it is private.
Exotic Plant Gardens were established in 1951. At the present time, about one and a half thousand varieties of representatives of the flora of the whole world have been collected here.
The Temara National Zoo is a well-maintained zoo with cafes and rides on site. Locals often come here not only to see the animals, but also to buy fresh seafood. North of the Exotic Gardens is the Plage de Nation. And 15 kilometers south of Rabat there is Temara Beach. Tourists visiting Morocco often visit the Mamora eucalyptus forest. Its area is 134 thousand hectares. The best time to visit the garden is spring.
Safi
The population of Safi is 292 thousand people. The city is located 347 kilometers from Rabat, 256 kilometers from Casablanca and 157 kilometers from Marrakesh. Safi is a major economic and industrial center. In catching and producing canned sardines, the city ranks first in the world. The local chemical plant extracts most of the Moroccan phosphates. Tourists are rarely seen in Safi. Locals do not like being photographed or filmed. Despite this, the city has interesting sights. For example, buildings from the time of the rule of the Portuguese. Safi is famous for its ceramic products. Green tiles are made in the city.
Sights in Safi
Safi’s traditional specialty is pottery, which is located opposite the Bab Shaab gate. Ceramics are sold everywhere in Safi, but it is difficult to find something interesting and of really high quality, since almost all goods immediately go to the shops of large cities. Pottery masters like to invite foreigners to their workshops, where you can immediately buy the thing you like, having previously familiarized yourself with the process of its production. Before taking photos, you must obtain permission from the owners. Even if you do not understand anything in pottery, you will be guided and everything will be shown by a voluntary assistant from among the residents of the quarter. Be prepared for the fact that at the end of the “tour” he will demand a reward. 10 DN will be enough. People interested in pottery will find here the first school in Africa where they can take a course.
Medina Safi is surrounded on all sides by powerful fortifications. In the southern part of the Medina is the Portuguese chapel and the Grand Mosque.
The main street of the Medina – st. The souk stretches from the Main Mosque in a northeasterly direction to the gate of Bab Shaab. The whole street consists of shops, small shops and all sorts of ateliers.
The underground Portuguese chapel, which is a Gothic structure of 1519, is all that remains of the ancient cathedral complex of St. Catherine. The hall, decorated with a lion’s mouth, is the only place available for inspection. It is open from 8.00 to 18.00, entrance is paid. The National Museum of Ceramics is open from 8.30 to 18.00. It is located in the building of the Portuguese citadel, which is interesting because in the late 18th – early 19th century a mosque was built here and a garden was laid out. The museum displays traditional ceramics from the cities of Safi, Fez and Meknes.
The 16th-century maritime palace Dar el-Bar got its name not by chance. This small fortress, built by the Portuguese, effectively rises directly above the ocean. In the 17th century, it became the residence of the Sultan, and before that it served as the seat of the Portuguese government. Inscriptions in Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch are still visible on the portico of the palace.
