El Jadida الجديدة ⵎⴰⵣⵖⴰⵏ/ⵊⴷⵉⴷⴰ Mazagan
Panorama of El Jadida
El Jadida Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 33°14′N 8°30′W / 33.233°N 8.5°W / 33.233; -8.5
Country	Morocco
Region	Doukkala-Abda
Province	Province of El Jadida
Population (2010)
• Total	147,549
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	WEST (UTC+1)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
Type:	Cultural
Criteria:	ii, iv
Designated:	2004 (28th session)
Reference #:	1058
State Party:	Morocco
Region:	Arab States

Market, El Jadida, 2012

El Jadida (Berber: ⵎⴰⵣⵖⴰⵏ Mazghan, Arabic:الجديدة "new") is a port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the province of El Jadida. It has a population of 144,440 (2004 census). From the sea, El Jadida's old city; has a very "un-Moorish" appearance; it has massive Portuguese walls of hewn stone.^[1]

El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502 by the Portuguese, and they controlled this city until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão. Its inhabitants were evacuated to Brazil, where they founded new settlement Nova Mazagão (now in Amapá). El Jadida was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah.

El Jadida fortified town.

Manueline cistern of the El Jadida fortress.

The Portuguese Fortified City of Mazagan was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, on the basis of its status as an "outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures" and as an "early example of the realisation of the Renaissance ideals integrated with Portuguese construction technology".

According to UNESCO,^[2] the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern, and the Manueline Church of the Assumption.

At present, the city's main exports are beans, almonds, maize, chickpeas, wool, hides, wax and eggs. It imports cotton, sugar, tea and rice. The presence of nearby ports and factories is responsible for the pollution of El Jadida's beaches.

The modern city of Essaouira (containing some of the earliest recorded Phoenician settlement history of Morocco: the archaeological ruins of Mogador^[3]) connects to El Jadida from the south via the R301 road.

Landmarks of El Jadida/Mazagan[link]

• The Municipal Theater of El Jadida
• The Portuguese Cistern
• The Canons and the Fortress
• The Old Port

Portuguese Cistern[link]

Built in 1514, this former warehouse (possibly an armory) was converted into a cistern in the 16th century. The underground chamber, measuring 34 meters by 34 meters, was constructed with five rows of five stone pillars. The cistern is famous especially for the thin layer of water that covers the floor, and which creates fine and exciting reflections from the little light there is and the spartan shapes of the columns and the roof. Its visual qualities are such that several movies have been filmed within the cavernous space, of which Orson Welles' Othello (1952 film) is the best known internationally.

Fortress of Mazagan[link]

The design of the Fortress of Mazagan is a response to the development of modern artillery in the Renaissance.^[4] The star form of the fortress measures c 250m by 300m. The slightly inclined, massive walls are c 8m high on average, with a thickness of 10m, enclosing a patrolling peripheral walkway 2m wide. At the present time the fortification has four bastions: the Angel Bastion in the east, St Sebastian in the north, St Antoine in the west, and the Holy Ghost Bastion in the south. The fifth, the Governor’s Bastion at the main entrance, is in ruins, having been destroyed by the Portuguese in 1769. Numerous colonial-era Portuguese cannons are still positioned on top of the bastions.

The fort had three gates: the Seagate, forming a small port with the north-east rampart, the Bull Gate in the north-west rampart, and the main entrance with a double arch in the centre of the south rampart, originally connected to land via a drawbridge. A ditch, c 20m wide and 3m deep, formerly filled with seawater, surrounded the fort. During the time of the French Protectorate the ditch was filled in with earth and a new entrance gate was opened leading to the main street, the Rua da Carreira, and to the Seagate. Along this street are situated the best preserved historic buildings, including the Catholic Church of the Assumption and the cistern.

People[link]

• Cheikh Chouaib Doukkali, former minister of Justice and president of the Appellate court
• Driss Chraïbi, author
• Driss Jettou, former Prime Minister
• Abdelkebir Khatibi, author
• Chaibia, painter
• André Elbaz, painter and film-maker
• André Guelfi, racing driver

Town twinning[link]

• Vierzon, France
• Arenzano, Italy
• Tacoma, United States
• Template:Country data canada Tacoma, Canada

References[link]

External links[link]

• (French) Website Of El Jadida

v t e Doukkala-Abda region Capital: Asfi Provinces El Jadida Province  · Safi Province Cities Jdida  · Sidi Bennour  · Azemour  · Bir Jdid  · Zmamra  · Ouled Frej  · Karia  · Moulay Abdallah  · Oualidia  · Laaounate  · Sidi Smaïl  · Oulad Ghadbane  · Sidi Ali Ben Hamdouche  · Sebt Lamaarif  · Oulad Amrane  · Sidi Bouzid  · Asfi  · Youssoufia  · Echemaia  · Jmaat Shaim  · Sebt Gzoula  · Sidi Ahmed  · Laakarta  · Bouguedra  · Ighoud  · Ahrara

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v t e World Heritage Sites in Morocco Northern Medina of Fes el Bali  · Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) Archaeological Site of Volubilis · Historic City of Meknes · Central Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) · Medina of Marrakech · Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) Southern Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

Coordinates: 33°14′N 8°30′W / 33.233°N 8.5°W / 33.233; -8.5

Mehdi Bennani
Nationality	Moroccan
Born	(1983-08-25) August 25, 1983 (age 28) Fes, Morocco
2012 World Touring Car Championship
Debut season	2009
Current team	Proteam Motorsport
Car no.	21
Former teams	Wiechers-Sport Exagon Engineering
Starts	22
Wins	0
Poles	0
Fastest laps	0
Previous series
2009 2007 2007 2005–2006 2004	Formula Le Mans Euroseries 3000 Italian Formula 3000 Formula Renault 3.5 Series Formula BMW Asia

Mehdi Bennani (born August 25 1983 in Fes) was the first racing driver to join the Moroccan World Championship cars. He is the son of Samira Bennani. As a matter of fact, she is only female driver, who is an Arab and African champion race car driver on closed circuit speed. On the other hand, his father is a pilot and champion of Morocco Motocross suite1 for four years.

Racing career[link]

Early career[link]

Like most racing drivers, Mehdi started out in karting, winning his national championship in 2001. He finished as runner-up in the European Karting Championship in the 100 ICA class. He also won the Moroccan Fiat Palio Trophy in 2001. He moved into single-seaters and was runner-up in Formula BMW Asia in 2004. He moved to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2005 with the Avalon Formula team, racing against the likes of Robert Kubica and Will Power. He also competed for EuroInternational in 2006, but failed to score a point in his time in the series. He competed in Euroseries 3000 in 2007 and scored a best result of fourth. In 2008 he competed in the Pau Historical Grand Prix, where he finished second.^[1]

World Touring Car Championship[link]

In May 2009 Bennani competed in his home round of the World Touring Car Championship at the Marrakech Street Circuit in a SEAT León 2.0 TFSI prepared by Exagon Engineering. He was backed by OMNT, Morocco's Tourism Office.^[2] He became the first North African to race in the WTCC, on the series' first visit to the African continent. He qualified in 14th place for the first race, and finished in 9th place, winner of the Independents category. He finished ninth in the second race, and impressed throughout the weekend with the way he was able to keep up with WTCC regulars. He competed at four further race weekends for Exagon.

In 2010 Bennani will drive a BMW 320si for the Wiechers-Sport team.

Racing record[link]

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete WTCC results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2011)

Dina Hayek (Arabic: دينا حايك‎ born Collet Bou Gergis on 10 June 1982) is a popular Lebanese singer. She gained popularity by the release of her second album, Katabtillak. Her father is Lebanese and her mother is Syrian.

Career[link]

Hayek started her career year 1999 as a solo artist, after being discovered by composer George Mardorzian. She studied music at Kaslik University, before taking private courses for 3 years with Fouad Houad and two years Rafik Houbaika, both Lebanese musicians. Her debut album, Sehir Al Gharam was released in 2003 on the record label Music Master International, and included the single by the same name which was backed by Egyptian music channel Melody TV.

Hayek's commercial breakthrough came when she signed a contract with the Saudi Arabian record label Rotana. Her second album, titled Katabtillak, was released in 2005. It was a commercial success, and included the singles, "Katabtillak" and "Darb el-Hawa'a".

Dina Hayek's third album, Ta'ala Albi was released in 2006. It included the single by the same name.

Hayek has admitted that some Rotana artists, such as singer Elissa, get more attention from the record company executives than the rest.^[1] She was also disappointed with the promotional efforts made for Ta'ala Albi, and the low sales figures - compared to Katabtillak - in both Egypt and the Gulf region. She also showed disappointment in Rotana for claiming that they were not able to secure her a performance at the 2007 Hala Febrayer Festival in Kuwait, and later that year she eventually resigned from her contract with Rotana. She is currently working on new material with the support from Melody TV.^[2][3]

An active singer, Hayek has given a number concerts and festivals in Lebanon, Egypt and the Gulf region. Her voice got the attention of Syrian popular singer, George Wassouf with whom she performed in many concerts. She has also worked with Melhem Barakat in a few concerts.

Discography[link]

• Sehir Al Gharam (2003)
• Katabtillak (2005)
• Ta'ala Albi (2006)

References[link]

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