El Jadida, Portuguese fortified port city in El Jadida Province, Morocco.
El Jadida is a port city on the Atlantic coast with fortification walls dating to the 16th century that run along the ocean and enclose narrow streets with traditional Moroccan buildings. The city preserves the structure of an earlier fortress with stone walls and bastions that still shape its character today.
Portuguese settlers founded the fortress of Mazagan in 1502 as a strategic trading post at this location. The city remained under Portuguese control until Moroccan forces reclaimed it in 1769 and it took on its current name.
The Portuguese cistern beneath the city displays architectural elements that blend European design with North African craftsmanship, visible in its stone columns and vaulted chambers. Visitors can experience this cultural fusion in one space and understand how different building traditions met here.
The city is reachable by direct trains from Casablanca, with the journey taking around two hours. Exploring the old town is best done on foot, as the narrow streets are not suited for cars.
The fortification walls of the city follow a star pattern, with four bastions at the corners that represent a rare application of Renaissance military architecture in North Africa. This geometric design was advanced for its time and offered tactical advantages for defense.
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