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Ksar el-Kebir
القصر الكبير
Official seal of Ksar el-Kebir
Seal
Ksar el-Kebir is located in Morocco
Ksar el-Kebir
Ksar el-Kebir
Location in Morocco
Ksar el-Kebir is located in Africa
Ksar el-Kebir
Ksar el-Kebir
Ksar el-Kebir (Africa)
Coordinates: 34°59′56″N 5°54′10″W / 34.99889°N 5.90278°W / 34.99889; -5.90278
Country Morocco
RegionTanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
ProvinceLarache
Government
 • MayorMohamed Simo
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total126,617
 • Rank
26th in Morocco
 • Religions
Islam
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (WEST)
WebsiteOfficial website

Ksar el-Kebir (Arabic: القصر الكبير, romanized: al-Qaṣr al-Kabīr), also known as al-Qasr al-Kabir, is a city in northwestern Morocco, about 160 km north of Rabat, 32 km east of Larache and 110 km south of Tangier. It recorded a population of 126,617 in the 2014 Moroccan census.[1]

The name means "the big castle". The city is located nearby the Loukous river, making El-Ksar-el-Kebir one of Morocco's richest agricultural regions. El-Ksar el-Kebir provides almost 20% of the needed sugar of Morocco. Neighbouring cities and towns include Larache, Chefchaouen, Arbawa and Tateft.

History

It was first established as a Phoenician colony in the 1st millennium BC. Following the Punic Wars, it came under Roman control with the name Oppidum Novum.[2]

In 1578, King Sebastian of Portugal suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of Alcácer Quibir at the hands of the King Abd al-Malik of Morocco, which ended Portugal's ambitions to invade and Christianize the Maghreb. Both kings died during the battle, as did Abdallah Mohammed, who was allied with Sebastian.[3] The death of King Sebastian started the events which led to the temporary union of the crowns of Portugal and Spain under Philip II of Spain. King Abd al-Malik's victory gave Morocco substantial strength and international prestige.

The city experienced a substantial growth with the settling of an important Spanish garrison in 1911 as a part of the Spanish Morocco Protectorate in Morocco. After Morocco's independence and the building of the Oued el Makhazine reservoir by King Hassan II to manage the Loukkos' river regime, the city became an important regional agricultural distribution center.

Culture

El-Ksar el-Kebir is reputed for the leading artists, writers, poets and sportsmen on national plane.

Notable people

Twin towns

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ksar-el-Kebir.
  1. ^ a b "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014" (in Arabic and French). High Commission for Planning, Morocco. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ M. Ponsich, "Territoires utiles du Maroc punique," in H. G. Niemeyer, ed. Phoenizier im Westen. Mainz, 1982, 438.
  3. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Al Kasr al Kebir" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 686.
  4. ^ "Geminações". cm-lagos.pt (in Portuguese). Lagos. Retrieved 2022-10-12.

35°00′32″N 5°54′00″W / 35.009°N 5.900°W / 35.009; -5.900

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