Rabat

Rabat, capital of Morocco located in the north of the country, on the Atlantic coast, on the left bank of the mouth of Bouregreg, opposite the city of Salé. Rabat is the great political and administrative center of the country, where the royal palace, government agencies and embassies. 
The word Rabat literally means "Fortified Place"; is the capital and fifth largest city of Morocco with an urban population of approximately 620,000 (2004) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. It is also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer administrative region. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, the city's main commuter town. Rabat, Temara, and Salé form together a conurbation of over 1.8 million people. Silt-related problems have diminished Rabat's role as a port; however, Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile, food processing and construction industries. In addition, tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country. Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat-Salé Airport. The Moroccan capital was recently awarded second place in "Top Travel Destinations of 2013" by CNN.

Rabat has a relatively modern history compared to the ancient city of Salé. In 1146, the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mu'minturned Rabat's ribat into a full scale fortress to use as a launching point for attacks on Iberia. In 1170, due to its military importance, Rabat acquired the title Ribatu l-Fath, meaning "stronghold of victory," from which it derives its current name.

Yaqub al-Mansur (known as Moulay Yacoub in Morocco), another Almohad Caliph, moved the capital of his empire to Rabat. He built Rabat's city walls, the Kasbah of the Udayas and began construction on what would have been the world's largest mosque. However, Yaqub died and construction stopped. The ruins of the unfinished mosque, along with theHassan Tower, still stand today.

Yaqub's death initiated a period of decline. The Almohad empire lost control of its possessions in Spain and much of its African territory, eventually leading to its total collapse. In the 13th century, much of Rabat's economic power shifted toFez. In 1515 a Moorish explorer, El Wassan, reported that Rabat had declined so much that only 100 inhabited houses remained. An influx of Moriscos, who had been expelled from Spain, in the early 17th century helped boost Rabat's growth.

Rabat hosts neighborhoods as diverse as Agdal, Souissi, Ryad (residential and rich), and Ocean Aviation and Ben Yacoub Mansour. Salt, which is part of the conurbation, for its part, a dormitory suburb connected to Rabat by a bridge. Surrounded by ramparts, the capital of the Kingdom possesses a rich architectural heritage which has many monuments like the enclosure doors of the Casbah Oudaïa, the minaret of the Hassan mosque (XII century), which is 55 m, one of the few vestiges of this unfinished building and close to the city, the necropolis of Chellah. The city has several museums (archeology, crafts). It is the seat of the University Mohammed V (1957) and several cultural and educational institutions.