Souhail Akayour
No one has ever passed by Tangier without being fascinated by its elegance and beauty. This should come as no surprise for the city of Tangier prides itself on a rich history that started several centuries before Christ when it was founded by the Carthaginians and inhabited by the Phoenicians afterward, to come under the control of the Romans later on. It has occupied a vital economic and commercial position in the Mediterranean region. The course of Tangier’s history did not stop there; it moved along to be the main base of Tariq ibn Ziyad’s army where it started its advance towards Europe by crossing the sea and entering Spain to admit Andalusia to the course of the Islamic history. Ibn Battuta himself set out on his universal travels from Tangier. Here it is today still, as it has always been, serving as a bridge for anyone desiring to cross the sea to the European side of the Mediterranean and as a center for thedifferent cultures.
Here it is today a city of over one million souls according to the census of 2014. So, does it maintain the same glamour and elegance with which it has been characterized as its population is growing coupled with numerous new challenges? To answer this question, we asked some of Tangier’s inhabitants and some of those who pass by it from one time to another to see whether The Bride of the North still occupies the same old place in people’s hearts.
The majority of the people we asked expressed their admiration for Tangier. Some of them have lived in the town for good while for studies; others have only visited it a couple of times.
Mohamed from the northern city of Nador – a student in Tangier – expressed his deep admiration for it and said, “what I like in Tangier is its vastness and perfect location” where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. He added that he likes the weather and “its attraction of many tourists thanks to its numerous tourist attractions and historical sites – Hercules Caves, Kasbah, and other sites in Old Medina – and its large infrastructure projects. He continued saying that what he likes the most in Tangier is that it makes us feel as if we were in the past and the present at the same time; we do not only feel we are touring Old Medina, we feel as though we went back in time to the old Morocco thanks to all the monuments Old Medina is preserving; meanwhile, we feel as though we were in the European continent when touring the newly established parts of the city with their modern architecture. This way, he feels that whoever is living in Tangier is, indeed, living in two different worlds in one place: the old Morocco and modern-day Morocco in its European version.
As for Mustapha who comes from Taounate – and who is also a student studying in Tangier – he agrees with Mohamed to a significant extent. He likes Tangier for its many entertainment venues and its fresh air, clean streets, and good-hearted people; “I feel better when in Tangier,” he added. Moreover, thanks to the big infrastructure projects that qualify Tangier to occupy a vital commercial position nationally and attract many foreign investors – which makes it an ideal destination for locals and foreigners looking for jobs – he believes it’s one of the best Moroccan cities one may settle down in. All these things make Mohamed, Mustapha, and others consider living in it permanently.
As for the people who have paid Tangier a couple of visits, they don’t hide their admiration for the city. This is Chaimae from the neighboring city of Tetouan; she expressed her admiration for The Bride of the North saying, “Tangier is an attractive city. There are many entertainment venues in it,” such as Park Rmilat, and other places. She didn’t hide her desire to move to Tangier one day, in spite of her love for La Paloma Blanca, for the job opportunities Tangier provides.
Adnane, from the northern city of Chefchaouen, however, doesn’t like the vastness and the bustle of the city. Nevertheless, he sees Tangier as one of the pillars of the national economy, the door of the world into Morocco, and the door of Morocco to Europe and the entire world. Furthermore, the city has a number of cultural centers, such as Conference Palace Ahmed Boukmakh and Palais des Arts et Culture that is due to be inaugurated this year, and a number of museums, like Kasbah Museum. He also paid tribute to the education infrastructure that was supplemented by the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy a few years ago.
In the end, we had to ask some people from the town whose views on Tangier didn’t differ from those of the others. They added that Tangier now has a sports infrastructure that suits the city, especially after the inauguration of Stade Ibn Battuta and the tennis court, which was inaugurated recently.
Tangier, then, has always attracted and is attracting people from all over the world; many of them consider living in it permanently; the ones living in it are still fascinated by its beauty and glamour that impel them to never consider leaving it. Here is Tangier today ornamented with its economic facilities, cultural centers and institutions, and natural parks, welcoming all people of different races, cultures, interests, and tastes. Here is Tangier making its way with all its might to retaining its title “The Bride of the North”.
