Settat
Encyclopedia
Settat is a city in Morocco
between the national capital Rabat
and Marrakech
. Settat is located at the heart of the country, south of Casablanca
. Settat is the capital of the prefecture of Chaouia-Ouardigha
and Settat Province, the oldest and largest city in the province, in both size and population. Settat is 370m above sea level, built on a plateau surrounded by foothills in all directions. The antiquities of Settat include the very old Ismailiya Kasbah
distinguished by the statue of a steed which lies at the center of the city.
on the hilly site of Settat, 18th century Moroccan ruler Moulay Ismail
would trigger the process of urbanization. Indeed, the building of the Kasbah
brought order and security for travelers and residents supported the settlements near it. Moreover, by installing the first Caïd
in the region which previously depended Caïd Doukkali and Rahmani, Moulay Ismail
formalized Settat status as capital of this region.
Settat became an administrative center in the early 13th century, due to its strategic position as an unavoidable passage between North and South. Thanks to the richness of the soil, it also has prospered during the 18th and 19th centuries as an important trading center for agricultural products, attracting entrepreneur
s. This was the case for Moroccan Jews who settled here en masse in the 19th century, building their own neighborhood, the Mellah
, near the Kasbah
.
This development was disrupted in the early 20th century during the early chaos of the French colonization
when the Chaouia
tribes rallied to Moulay Hafid
. However, under the French protectorate, the city of Settat had unprecedented urban development, as evidenced by the population boom it experienced from 1913 to 1925. This prosperity lasted until the early fifties when, as a result of the development of Casablanca
, communications, and transportation, the city of Settat and other towns in the region have entered a period of semi-lethargy.
In the early 1990s, Settat was endowed with a university http://www.uh1.ac.ma/, an international golf course http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/morocco/settat-university-royal-golf-club.html, and a racetrack. Settat has undergone large-scale urban planning from the 1970s to become an important regional center. Settat is linked to Casablanca
(57 km) since 2001 by the A7 highway, and Marrakech
(146 km) since 2007.
, Castile and León
, Spain
. Tours
, France
. La Celle Saint Cloud, France
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
between the national capital Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
and Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
. Settat is located at the heart of the country, south of Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. Settat is the capital of the prefecture of Chaouia-Ouardigha
Chaouia-Ouardigha
Chaouia-Ouardigha ) is one of the sixteen regions of Morocco. It is situated in north-central Morocco. It covers an area of 7,010 km² and has a population of 1,655,660 . The capital is Settat....
and Settat Province, the oldest and largest city in the province, in both size and population. Settat is 370m above sea level, built on a plateau surrounded by foothills in all directions. The antiquities of Settat include the very old Ismailiya Kasbah
Kasbah
A kasbah or qassabah is a type of medina, Islamic city, or fortress .It was a place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended...
distinguished by the statue of a steed which lies at the center of the city.
History
By choosing to build the KasbahKasbah
A kasbah or qassabah is a type of medina, Islamic city, or fortress .It was a place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended...
on the hilly site of Settat, 18th century Moroccan ruler Moulay Ismail
Ismail Ibn Sharif
Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif was the second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty. Like others of the dynasty, Ismaïl claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad through his roots to Hassan ibn Ali...
would trigger the process of urbanization. Indeed, the building of the Kasbah
Kasbah
A kasbah or qassabah is a type of medina, Islamic city, or fortress .It was a place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended...
brought order and security for travelers and residents supported the settlements near it. Moreover, by installing the first Caïd
CAID
Caid may refer to:* Caid , a type of governorship found in North Africa and Moorish Spain* Caid , a form of football popular in Ireland until the mid-19th century...
in the region which previously depended Caïd Doukkali and Rahmani, Moulay Ismail
Ismail Ibn Sharif
Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif was the second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty. Like others of the dynasty, Ismaïl claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad through his roots to Hassan ibn Ali...
formalized Settat status as capital of this region.
Settat became an administrative center in the early 13th century, due to its strategic position as an unavoidable passage between North and South. Thanks to the richness of the soil, it also has prospered during the 18th and 19th centuries as an important trading center for agricultural products, attracting entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s. This was the case for Moroccan Jews who settled here en masse in the 19th century, building their own neighborhood, the Mellah
Mellah
A mellah is a walled Jewish quarter of a city in Morocco, an analogue of the European ghetto...
, near the Kasbah
Kasbah
A kasbah or qassabah is a type of medina, Islamic city, or fortress .It was a place for the local leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows. Sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended...
.
This development was disrupted in the early 20th century during the early chaos of the French colonization
French colonial empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
when the Chaouia
Chaouia-Ouardigha
Chaouia-Ouardigha ) is one of the sixteen regions of Morocco. It is situated in north-central Morocco. It covers an area of 7,010 km² and has a population of 1,655,660 . The capital is Settat....
tribes rallied to Moulay Hafid
Abdelhafid of Morocco
Abdelhafid of Morocco was the Sultan of Morocco from 1908 to 1912 and a member of the Alaouite Dynasty. His younger brother, Abdelaziz of Morocco, preceded him...
. However, under the French protectorate, the city of Settat had unprecedented urban development, as evidenced by the population boom it experienced from 1913 to 1925. This prosperity lasted until the early fifties when, as a result of the development of Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, communications, and transportation, the city of Settat and other towns in the region have entered a period of semi-lethargy.
In the early 1990s, Settat was endowed with a university http://www.uh1.ac.ma/, an international golf course http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/morocco/settat-university-royal-golf-club.html, and a racetrack. Settat has undergone large-scale urban planning from the 1970s to become an important regional center. Settat is linked to Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
(57 km) since 2001 by the A7 highway, and Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
(146 km) since 2007.
Sister city
BurgosBurgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. La Celle Saint Cloud, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...