Tangier

Tangier (in Arab rear RTL طنچة, Tanja , as a gréco-Roman " Tinjis"), is a city located at the north of the Morocco to the Western point of the Rif. Chief town of Wilaya, populated of almost a million inhabitants, it is the 4th city of the kingdom, its capital of summer and its principal door on the Europe. The 14 kilometers of the strait of Gibraltar separate the two continents here that Hercules, known as mythology, detached one of the other. The city was candidate to organize the International exhibition of 2012, which will take place in Korea.

Geography

Tangier is located in bay of the same name, opened on the Western end of the Straits of Gibraltar, with approximately 15 kilometers of the Spanish coasts. Initially established on the hill of the kasbah, the city gradually extended on the solid masses bordering it in the west in direction of the course Spartel (plate of Marshan, Vieille Mountain) then, with the length of the beach, in direction of the course Malabata. In spite of these reliefs, its site does not present a notable hydrographic network.

The climate of Tangier knows a Mediterranean mode moderate by the oceanic influence and the breath of the chergui, presenting four well marked seasons: soft and wet winter, tepid and dry summer, moderately rainy intersaisons.

History

If one trusts the Berber Mythologie and Greek, the town of Tangier would have been rested by the giant Antée, wire of Poséidon and Gaia and would owe its name with Tingis (or Tinga), woman of the founder. Antée found its force in contact with the ground, Hercules choked it by maintaining it in the air. The tomb of Antée would be a hill close to Tangier, Charf. Although the Moslems are little idôlatres on such superstitions. Its exceptional, and strategic geographical position, made for a long time of Tangier a place of covetousness where are succédé several civilizations and cultures.

After a presence Phénicien, of which there remains two small Nécropole S, the city was really founded with the IVe century before J.C, by the Carthaginois which made a counter (Tingi) of it. In 146 before J.C, to the fall of Carthage, the city is attached to the Maurétanie and becomes a Roman colony (Tingis) related to the province of Spain. Tangier takes such an importance, which it becomes, about the 3rd century, the capital of the Maurétanie Tingitane. At the 5th century, Tangier is occupied by the Vandales. Released under the reign of Justinien, at the beginning of the 6th century, it is attached to the Byzantine Empire.

The general Omeyyade Moussa Ibn Noussaïr is interested in Tangier for his strategic position and it is from there that in 711, will begin the conquest of Spain with the troops of Tarik Ibn Ziad, with which Gibraltar, inter alia, owes its name (Djebel Tarik the mountain of Tarik). During the five centuries which follow, the dynasties of Morocco, the Arabs of Egypt, of Tunisia and Spain dispute the sovereignty of Tangier. The Idrisides, Masters of Volubilis, the Omeyyades of Spain, clash about it during more than one century. In the middle of Xe century, the Fatimides of Tunisia extend their authority to it. In 1075, the Almoravides become about it Masters until 1149 dates to which the city passes to the Almohades. It pledged with the Hafsides of Tunis before becoming Mérinide in 1274.

After three attempts the Portuguese seize some in 1471 and to the England in 1661 like Dot yields it brought by Catherine de Bragance to her husband Charles II of England. At the time where Tangier was still a Portuguese city, it was the capital of the Algarve of Africa, because let us not forget that there were two Algarves at the time, one in Europe and another in Africa. As of 1679 Moulay Ismaïl (Empire Of the sherifs Alaouites) undertakes the head office of Tangier which is abandoned for him in 1684, on decision of Charles II estimating his occupation by the English troops useless and too much expensive.

Following the assistance brought by the Abderrahman sultan to the Algerian emir Abd El-Kader, the French launch on Tangier a raid of reprisals directed by the prince de Joinville which bombards the city in 1844 and dismantles the fortifications.

See also: Forwarding of Morocco (1844)

The European competitions for the control of the city, carries half-opened on the Morocco, start in this end of XIXe century. The France, the Spain, the the United Kingdom, the Germany multiply the diplomatic missions and commercial to place their pawns putting the city at the center of the international competitions. In 1880, the convention of Madrid tries to define the relations between the great powers about Morocco. Pushed by the chancellor Bulow which intends to point out way, sensational, that Germany will not let itself put at the variation and that France cannot modify the political state of Morocco without the authorization of a new International Conference, Guillaume It unloads the March 31st 1905 of the imperial Yacht Hohenzollern in Tangier for a few hours and denounces, after a discussion with the uncle of the sultan, the aimings French and Spanish on Morocco, which causes a diplomatic crisis. In 1906, the Conférence of Algeciras redefines the positions of each one in Africa recognizing independence of the sultan and affirming the equality of the signatories in the economic domain. In 1923 the negotiations led to make of it an international zone freed from customs duties. The July 24th 1925, the final statute of Tangier is signed by the the United Kingdom, Spain, the Belgium, the Holland, the the United States, the Portugal, the Soviet Union and France, to which the Italy will join a little later.

The city has from now on its financial autonomy. One equips it with an international administration, in particular of a legislative assembly, made up of thirty international civils servant appointed by their respective consuls and of nine Moroccan. The time of the " Statute international" is that of the greatest international radiation of Tangier, as well in the cultural field as in that of the businesses, supported by the facilities offered to smuggling, espionage and the counterfeit.

In June 1940, after the French defeat, the Spanish nationalist troops occupy Tangier and allow, in March 1941, the installation of the German consulate to the mendoubia (residence of Mendoub) where fleet the flag Nazi. In March 1944, Spain makes leave the German consulate the mendoubia before withdrawing, on October 9th, 1945, its troops of Tangier which will find its international statute. Between 1939 and 1950, Tangier saw its population tripling and reaching more than 150.000 inhabitants.

April 10th 1947, the sultan Mohammed V, accompanied by the crown prince Moulay Hassan (future Hassan II), makes in Tangier the first speech which refers to unified and independent Morocco attached to the Arab nation. In 1956, with the independence of Morocco, the conference of Fedala (from October 8th to 29th) returns Tangier to Morocco. A royal charter maintains the freedom of exchange and of trade until 1960, year when the Moroccan government abolishes the tax incentives and Tangier finds with a statute identical to that of the other cities of the kingdom. In order to avoid an important escape of the capital, the wearing of Tangier is equipped with a Free zone.

The return to Moroccan sovereignty sees the progressive decline of the political and cultural influence of Tangier. Nevertheless, after several years of abandonment on behalf of the central government, the town of Tangier experiences since ten years a spectacular development, of which it is however to fear that it does not denature its urban landscape deeply, and benefits the interests more from the companies offshore oil rig that to those from the populations from the area.

Chronology

  • Arrived of the Phéniciens on the site of Tangier
  • quatrieme century BC Passage of the city under Carthaginian control
  • 440 before J. - C. Arrived of the Roman - Capital of the Maurétanie Tingitane
  • 706 Moussa Ibn Noussair seizes the city. Tangier becomes Moslem
  • 711 Tarik Ibn Ziad, starting from Tangier, launches out to the conquest of Spain
  • 1437 First Portuguese attempt to seize the city
  • 1458 Second Portuguese attempt to seize the city
  • 1464 Third Portuguese attempt to seize the city
  • 1471 the Portuguese seize Tangier
  • 1492 a great number of driven out Jews of Spain and Portugal forward by Tangier where much remains
  • 1580 the Spaniards seize Tangier
  • 1640 the Portuguese seize Tangier
  • 1661 Catherine de Bragance brings, in its dowry, Tangier with Charles II of England. The city passes under control English.
  • 1673 the English strengthen the city to resist the attacks of the chief of tribe Al Ghaïlan
  • 1678 the sultan Moulay Ismaïl undertakes the seat of the City.
  • 1684 the English destroy the fortifications and give up the city with Moulay Ismaïl. The city is strengthened to become a rampart vis-a-vis the outside world.
  • 1757 - 1790 Reign of the Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah who, to protect his subjects, undertakes the quartering of the Western diplomats in Tangier.
  • 1794 Creation of the School of the Spanish Catholic Mission
  • 1794 the French Consul leaves Rabat to settle in Tangier
  • 1832 Eugene Delacroix remains in Tangier which fills with wonder it
  • August 6th 1844 Bombardment of the city by Prince de Joinville under pretext of the asylum granted by the Sultan to the Algerian emir Abd El Kader.
  • 1857 Creation of the British post office
  • 1864 Creation of the school of Alliance Jew
  • 1865 Installation of the Cape Spartel
  • 1865 Installation by the France of a national post office of state
  • 1880 Eastern Telegraph Company connects Tangier to Gibraltar by a underwater Câble
  • 1883 the Spaniards create the network of interurban telephone
  • 1885 Creation of a French school (the Institution Tap)
  • October 3rd 1904 Signature of a secret agreement, between Spain and France, to delimit the zones of influence. Tangier must have a particular status.
  • March 31st 1905 Guillaume II arrives at Tangier to be opposed to the ambitions of France and Spain on Morocco.
  • April 7th 1906 the Conference of Algeciras, determines the zones of French and Spanish influence. Tangier will have a special statute.
  • 1909 Construction by France of a college for young girls (future Holy College Aulaire)
  • 1912 - 1913 Construction of the Palate of the Sultan Moulay Hafid
  • March 30th 1912 Signature with Fès of the treaty of Protectorate French, by the Sultan Moulay Hafid and Mr. Regnault, ambassador plenipotentiary from France to Tangier.
  • 1913 Construction of the French college (future Regnault College)
  • 1913 Inauguration by Spain of Gran Teatro Cervantes
  • December 18th 1923 Convention of Paris: Tangier will be an international zone under sovereignty of the Sultan of Morocco.
  • May 14th 1924 Ratification of the Convention of Paris
  • June 1st 1925 Coming into effect of the international statute of the zone of Tangier.
  • 1930 Visit of important representing movement panarabe, the Emir Chakib Arsalane
  • 1935 Creation of a Moroccan school by Abdallah Guennoun
  • June 14th 1940 Occupation of Tangier by the Spanish troops
  • November 20th 1940 Fastening of the city at the Spanish zone and expulsion of Mendoub (representative of the Sultan)
  • March 17th 1941 Installation of the German consulate in Mendoubia
  • May 2nd 1944 the Spaniards, pushed by American, make leave the Germans Mendoubia
  • October 9th 1945 the Spanish troops leave Tangier
  • October 11th 1945 a French cruiser brings back Mendoub to Tangier
  • April 9th 1947 Arrived of the Sultan Mohamed Ben Youssef (Mohamed V)
  • April 10th 1947 the Sultan Mohamed V makes the speech of Tangier by which he claims the independence of Morocco.
  • October 29th 1956 Fastening of Tangier to the Kingdom of Morocco.
  • 1957 Tangier becomes the Capital of summer of the Kingdom
  • August 26th 1957 a royal charter stipulates the maintenance of freedom of exchanges and trade for the town of Tangier
  • 1960 Tangier loses its particular status and is equipped with a Free zone.

Economy

Second industrial center of the country after Casablanca, its activity is diversified: textile industries, chemical, mechanical, metallurgical and naval. The city currently has four industrial parks of which two have a statute of free zone (Tangier FreeZone and the harbor Free zone). The infrastructure of the city of the strait is important: a port managing flows of goods and travellers (more than one million travellers per annum) integrating a marina and a fishing port. The Railroad connects the city to Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech in the south like with Fès and Oujda in the east. The Autoroute is operational since the summer 2005 and connects Tangier to Fès via Rabat (250 km) and Marrakech via Casablanca. The Aéroport international Ibn Battuta is located at Boukhalef, to 15 km in the south-west of the center of the city; its activity is limited. Regular lines of ferries connect Tangier to Algeciras, Tarifa, Barcelona (Spain), Sète, Port-Vendres (France) and Genoa (Italy).

Seaside resort important, Tangier has of hotel and tourist infrastructures varied, a vast beach on more than 7 km, and a médina (old city) where develops an artisanal trade (Maroquinerie, articles out of wooden and silver, clothing traditional and shoes…).

The town of Tangier east on the way to become a turntable of the commercial sea traffic with the construction of the port Tangier Med which has the role to facilitate the maritime trade. The city knows a which gallop exodus of other cities and areas of Morocco, which quadrupled its population in two decades (1 million inhabitants today against 250.000 in 1982) and allows the appearance of semi districts peripheral poor the south of the city where the infrastructure is absent.

Years 2007-2008 will be particular for the city of the strait because of the completion of the great projects in construction, in fact the second Tangier-Mediterranean port and its industrial parks, a stage of 45.000 places, business a district, tourist installations, the installation of the center town as well as the construction of highway and railway new lines.

The tunnel under the Mediterranean between Spain and Tangier is with the feasibility study with the co-operation of the engineers Swiss, Morrocans and Spanish. But the project colossal which required the work undertaken by the two public companies, the national company of the studies of Strait (SNED) and the Spanish SECEGSA, concluded with the feasibility of a tunnel of forty km connecting Tarifa in Spain with the area of Malabata close to Tangier. A section of 28 km will be built under water and the remainder under ground on the two sides of the Strait.

Once solved the technical main obstacles, the project enters its second phase of determination of the funding sources of this work. The budget initially planned for the construction of this tunnel oscillates between 4 and 5 billion euros which should assume the European Union, Spain and Morocco and probably of the private organizations. What made tunnel submarine one longest and more expensive in the world.

The Spanish government envisages the execution of the invitation to tender relating to the fixed connection of the Strait in 2006-2007 and the final drafting of the project in 2008 so that the project is fine loan before 2020.

The Agriculture in the area of Tangier is tertiary and mainly cereal.

Famous residents

See also: List of the famous Residents Tangier

Tangier a long time acted as semi-official cultural capital for a certain number of writers and artists of the whole world, initially attracted by its climate, its landscapes, and the picturesque one variegated its Jewish community; then, more recently, by the facilities offered by this attractive quoted in terms of comfort and of the cost of living. It attracts the property developers come from all the corners of Europe. One finds the Spaniards, the English, the Germans, little French, and even some Americans who work between them.

Portuguese influences and similarities

The portuguaise influence on Tangier was very strong and can be still noticed today.

The influence relates as well on the level of the culture as to the geographical plan. The Portuguese left in Tangier the title of capital of Algarve of Africa which is located at the extreme north of the country, and this for climatic reasons similar to those of the Algarve. Probably thanks to the subtropical climate, fresh (compared to the remainder of the Morocco) and méditérannéen.

The Portuguese also left a fortress which is currently called the Kasbah. The plan of the city typically Portuguese, is seen the provision of the city. The fortress surrounds the Médina which gives on the sea. At side, the port and behind Large the Socco where the trade is active. One can notice this provision in several other conquests of Portugal to the Morocco such as Agadir, El Jadida, Essaouira… The houses white and are not equipped with roofs but with what is called in Arabic a " stah" (a platform accessible to feet). They are decorated at their base with a coat of generally blue paint and make approximately from 1 to 1 meter 20 height. This model is frequent in Algarve.

Another enticing influence, kitchen. With its ingredients come from the whole world, the Portugal supported the contribution of ingredients to the Morocco come primarily from India, of Africa, the Proche the East. One finds some today in the Moroccan kitchen, much of basic ingredients being similar to the Portuguese kitchen such as almonds, the figs, the prunes, the olives and olive oil, seafood, the use of fish in mass the such Pastilla with the Morocco and the Caldeirada with the Portugal also fish the grill, certain desserts like the Torta of laranja.

Culture

twinnings

External bonds

  • the site of Tangier
  • an underwater tunnel enters Spain and Morocco
  • Official site of Tangier World Fair 2012
  • Images and old photographs of Tangier
  • the blog of Brahim MARRAKCHI on the history, the economy and the geography of the town of Tangier
  • Tangier seen of Beirut or the two Eastern doors of the best occident
  • of information on Tangier

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