Rabat, the pearl of the Atlantic

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The city of Rabat, Morocco's Atlantic pearl

Duration

1 day

Starting point

Rabat

End point

Rabat

Description

Rabat, the pearl of the Atlantic, is one of Morocco’s most fascinating imperial cities, where historic monuments blend with extraordinary sights. For any traveler exploring the country, Rabat is an ideal starting point. The city charms visitors with its exotic gardens, museums housing Roman remains, imposing historic gates, magnificent mosques, charming alleys and lively souks.

Highlights

Tour itinerary

Tourism in Rabat

Rabat offers the finest art and culture, and visitors easily fall in love with it. It is a modern coastal city with white-painted houses and buildings surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Rabat also has many wide avenues and is full of monuments and historic sites. It is amazing to think that some of them are many centuries old.

History of Rabat

The history of Rabat began in the 3rd century BC with a settlement called Chellah on the banks of the Bou Regreg river. The Romans conquered it in 40 AD and turned it into the colony of Sala Colonia, which they held until 250 AD, when it passed into Berber hands. In the 12th century, because of its military importance, the city was named Ribat al-Fath, meaning «fortress of victory».

Yaqub al-Mansur, an Almohad caliph, moved the capital of his empire to Rabat. He built the city walls and the Kasbah of the Udayas, and began what was meant to be the largest mosque in the world. He died before it was finished, and its unfinished minaret, the Hassan Tower, still stands today.

In 1912, during the French protectorate, General Lyautey moved the capital from Fez to Rabat, and in 1956, after independence, King Mohammed V decided to keep it in Rabat.