Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)

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Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida): A Unique Blend of Cultures

The Portuguese City of Mazagan, now known as El Jadida, is a captivating testament to the rich cultural exchange that took place between Europe and North Africa during the early modern period. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, this historic city offers a unique blend of Portuguese and Moroccan architectural styles, reflecting the enduring influence of the Portuguese explorers in West Africa on their journey to India.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Portuguese fortification of Mazagan, now part of the city of El Jadida, 90-km southwest of Casablanca, was built as a fortified colony on the Atlantic coast in the early 16th century. It was taken over by the Moroccans in 1769. The fortification with its bastions and ramparts is an early example of Renaissance military design. The surviving Portuguese buildings include the cistern and the Church of the Assumption, built in the Manueline style of late Gothic architecture. The Portuguese City of Mazagan - one of the early settlements of the Portuguese explorers in West Africa on the route to India - is an outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures, well reflected in architecture, technology, and town planning.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (ii): The Portuguese City of Mazagan is an outstanding example of the exchange of influences between the European and Moroccan cultures from the 16th to 18th centuries, and one of the very first settlements of Portuguese explorers in West Africa on the route to India. These influences are clearly reflected in the architecture, technology and urban planning of the city.

Criterion (iv): The fortified Portuguese city of Mazagan is an outstanding example and one of the first, representing the new design concepts of the Renaissance period integrated with Portuguese construction techniques. Among the most remarkable constructions of the Portuguese period are the cistern and the Church of the Assumption, built in the Manoeline style at the beginning of the 16th century.

Encyclopedia Record: El Jadida

El Jadida is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located 96 kilometres (60 mi) south of the city of Casablanca, in the province of El Jadida and the region of Casablanca-Settat. It has a population of 170,956 as of 2023.

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