Taroudant
| |
---|---|
Coordinates: 30°28′15.59″N 8°52′50.16″W / 30.4709972°N 8.8806000°W | |
Country | Morocco |
Region | Souss-Massa |
Province | Taroudant |
Elevation | 238 m (781 ft) |
Population (2014)
[1] | |
• Total | 80,149 |
Time zone | UTC+0 ( WET) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC+1 ( WEST) |
Postal code | 83000 |
Taroudant ( Moroccan Arabic: تارودانت, romanized: Tarudant, [taːruːdaːnt]; Tachelhit: ⵜⴰⵔⵓⴷⴰⵏⵜ) is a city in the Sous in southwestern Morocco. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south of Marrakesh. Today, it is a small market town and a tourist destination. [2] [3]
The Almoravids occupied the town in 1056. [2] In the mid-15th century the Banu Zaydan, the family who later founded the Saadi dynasty, established themselves near Taroudant in a settlement called Tidsi, which served briefly as the base of the dynasty's first leader, al-Qa'im, until 1513. [4] [5] [6] According to Moroccan news media, the current layout of the city walls dates to the Saadi period in the 16th century. [3]
In the 17th century, Taroudant was the base of Sidi Yahya, a local chieftain who successfully aided the Saadi sultan Moulay Zaydan against Abu Mahalli, a rebel who had captured Marrakesh. [7]
The city underwent economic decline after the port of Agadir was closed to commerce in 1760. [7] In the late 19th century, Sultan Hassan I established more secure control of the city. At the beginning of the 20th century it resisted government control again until qa'id Tayyeb al-Goundafi restored order in 1903. [7] When France began to impose its protectorate on Morocco in 1912, Ahmed al-Hiba used Taroudant as his capital to resist the French. The French only established control over it in 1917. [7]
Historically, there was a Jewish community in Taroudant, believed to have been established in the 11th century. Jews made up 10% of the city's population, and mainly engaged in the caravan trade. [8]
On 8 July 2022, a maximum temperature of 47.8 °C (118.0 °F) was registered. [9][ relevant?]
Today, Taroudant is a notable market town with a souk near each of its two main squares, Assarag and Talmoklate. There is also a weekly souk outside the city walls, near the future university district. [2]
The medina (historic quarter) of Taroudant is classified as a national cultural heritage monument of Morocco. [10] Its historic city walls are around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) [2] or 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) [3] long and are set with bastions and punctuated by nine gates that are still in use. [2]