City with long history
The dominant characteristic of Tangier’s peninsula is its maritime nature. Its shores are washed by the Atlantic, the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean.
It was through its coastline that the region established relations with the rest of the world. From prehistoric times onwards, it was a destination for human migrations. It later became a key stopping place on the great trade routes, thanks to the setting up of trading posts and the development of anchorage points (Cotta, Tingis, Martil, Ksar Sghir), which were the bridgeheads for exchanges between Morocco and the rest of the world.
The North of Morocco is one of the richest areas for traces of ancient human settlements. Legends (of Ulysses, Calypso, Hercules and others), megalithic sites (the Msoura Cromlech, the Mries necropolis) and Punic remains attest to the importance of this region for ancient civilizations.
As the capital of Mauritania Tingitana, the region contained many villas scattered through the countryside, while Roman towns were built along the coast.
With the introduction of Islamic civilization, the region became the bridge which allowed Islam to gain access to Europe.
The period when Tangier was the diplomatic capital of Morocco and the time when it had the status of an international zone have also left behind an important historical and architectural heritage.
From this complex history, Tangier has inherited a long tradition of cultural openness.
