Tangier City In Morocco
Beautiful and rebellious that is this city of Tangier. Courted in mythology since the goddess Tingis, as in reality, Tangier seems to be born rebellious rejecting being dominated by the Stranger. So coveted, torn from the motherland through the centuries by so many occupiers, invaders and colonizers seeking to adopt it by force, only, Tangier resisted those who wanted to "possess" it since the Phoenicians in the ninth century BC, then the procession of their successors until its definitive return to the motherland, Morocco, in 1960. Tangier, or the dream city, as Paul Bowles wrote, is a particularly attractive city for its beauty, its lights, its charm, the mildness of its climate, but above all enviable for its exceptional geographical location, bathed by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and being the northernmost city on the Atlantic coast of the African continent, 14 km from the Spanish coast, accessible by sea, air, road and highway and rail (TGV), all its routes make Tangier a very accessible city whether in transit or for a stay.
Cosmopolitan city, polyglot, rich in a great history, even become the second economic pole of Morocco, under modern appearances, Tangier the picturesque rejects the bad make-up of modern times. It has managed to preserve its authenticity, its beauty, its charm of yesteryear, and its wealth that give it this enviable character, so unique. Thus one meets the true Tangier in the tolerance of others, in the animation of its grand and small socco, in the accent of its inhabitants along the beautiful Avenida and the long Playa, in its nightlife, in the flavours of its great gastronomy in the spaces full of Andalusian or flamenco sounds of its restaurants with walls decorated with arabesques.
The times may run trying to tune it to the modern tuning. No, despite the appearance, Tangier the rebel keeps its soul, and opens to its visitor its coffers revealing its accumulated treasures and jealously guarded: historical sites, religious monuments, museums, its beautiful beaches, its cultural centers and many activities around the culture, art and sport, various surfing clubs, horse riding, etc... , the various exhibitions, film and music festivals, all kinds of city, sea and outdoor excursions, and a unique lifestyle.
Among these activities:
Etymology: Apart from the legend of Sophax, son of Hercules, who gave the name of his mother Tingis to the city, another version says that the name Tangier comes from Tin-liguil of Amazigh origin indicating the place above, which was transformed into Tinigir, Tingis, Tingir, Tangere, Tangier, Tanja.
Moroccan city incessantly coveted since the dawn of time, by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC, then a succession of others: Carthaginians, Kingdom of Mauritania, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Visigoths, Muslims, Portuguese, Spanish, English, Moroccan dynasties.
Invaded, occupied, colonized, through the centuries, Tangier was subject to various agreements, conventions, statutes, under the authority of one country, as well as under the simultaneous supervision of several countries.
Some highlights from the 20th century include:Delimitation of zones of influence between Spain and France in the secret agreement of 3 October 1904. The German emperor William II, received in Tangier by the Moroccan authorities on 31 March 1905, opposed the Franco-Spanish agreement. At the Algeciras conference, on 7 April 1906, the zones of French and Spanish influence were determined, and Tangier had a special status.
December 18, 1923, Paris Convention, Tangier will be an international zone under the sovereignty of the sultan of Morocco.
April 10, 1947, Sultan Mohamed Ben Youssef delivers a speech in Tangier and demands the independence of Morocco.
Tangier is controlled by several countries (9 powers involved) after the victory of the allies over Germany, especially the British, Americans, French, Russians. They ordered Spain to withdraw its troops in order to restore the commercial status of the area:
Fully returned to the motherland, Tangier only experienced its true boom after the inauguration of Port Tanger Med in July 2007, 40 km from its center, and around which 1,100 companies were established allowing exponential development, and thus becomes the second largest economic centre after Casablanca.
