Rabat, the capital of Morocco, is another ancient city in the African continent. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. Since the city had acquired great military importance, it acquired the title Ribatu-Fath, meaning ‘stronghold of victory’, from which it derives its current name.
The people of Rabat earn money from sectors like leather handicrafts, pottery and jewellry. Much of the city’s wealth comes also from other industrial activities such as textile, fish processing, and carpet making industries. There is a special place for women in the economy of the city as they make valuable contributions through their carpet weaving and embroidery named ‘Rabati’.
The city still preserves its old town very well. There is a museum in Rabat that preserves ancient Moroccan art. The Kasbah of the Udayas, an ambitious project of the world’s largest mosque that was left unfinished, is an important site of tourist interest. Yaqub al-Mansur, a Almohad Caliph, had built it. The city is also known for monuments that exhibit its French colonial heritage.
Chellah Necropolis, a medieval fortified Muslim cemetery, is another important destination. The city’s iconic Hassan Tower and the Rabat Archaeological Museum are also key places to visit.
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