Grand Socco

The Grand Socco (Moroccan Arabic: سوق برا), officially the Place du 9 Avril 1947, is a historic^[1] quasi-circular roundabout square separating the old medina from newer developments in downtown Tangier, Morocco.

Overview

The term socco is a Spanish corruption of the Arabic souk or souq. The Grand Socco is surrounded by a mosque, a few shops, several banks, half a dozen modest restaurants with covered outdoor seating areas, several cafés, the Cinema Rif, an Amendis office and a pharmacy. On one side is the arch entrance to Mendoubia Gardens and another arch leads to the Rue de la Kasbah, also known as Rue d'Italie.

The square is also known for the Tangier Speech given by Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco on 9 April 1947, from which the official French name is derived.^[2]

In the mid-1950s many large trees were cut down in the round central outdoor market. Currently, the Grand Socco has a large marble fountain in the center, surrounded by tall palm trees and small flower gardens with a dozen benches for people to sit and relax.

The square underwent further development in 2005.^[3]^[4]

References

^ The pre-modern configuration and topography of the area are amply discussed, with maps and diagrams, in Elbl, Martin Malcolm (2013). Portuguese Tangier (1471-1662): Colonial Urban Fabric as Cross-Cultural Skeleton. Baywolf Press. ISBN 978-0-921437-50-5.
^ "Un évènement majeur qui a sonné le glas du protectorat". Le Matin.ma (in French). 9 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
^ Humphrys, Darren (2008). Frommer's Morocco. John Wiley & Sons. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-470-18403-5.
^ Morocco. Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides. 2006. p. 133.

This Morocco-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] The pre-modern configuration and topography of the area are amply discussed, with maps and diagrams, in Elbl, Martin Malcolm (2013). Portuguese Tangier (1471-1662): Colonial Urban Fabric as Cross-Cultural Skeleton. Baywolf Press. ISBN 978-0-921437-50-5.

[2] "Un évènement majeur qui a sonné le glas du protectorat". Le Matin.ma (in French). 9 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

[3] Humphrys, Darren (2008). Frommer's Morocco. John Wiley & Sons. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-470-18403-5.

[4] Morocco. Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides. 2006. p. 133.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Tangier
History	History of Tangier Timeline List of European governors of Tangier Battle of Tangier (1664) English Tangier Tangier Garrison 1st Tangier Regiment 2nd Tangier Regiment Battle of Cape Spartel (1782) Treaty of Tangiers First Moroccan Crisis Tangier Protocol Tangier International Zone Administrators and Mendoubs Battle of Cape Spartel (1936)
Economy	Economy of Tangier Tangier Exportation Free Zone Tanger-med
Districts and streets	Tangier City Center Grand Socco Petit Socco Quartier du Marshan Rue Es-Siaghine Rue de la Liberté Avenue Pasteur Avenue d'Espagne Avenue Mohammed VI beach
Religious buildings	Grand Mosque of Tangier Kasbah Mosque Sidi Bou Abid Mosque Mohammed V Mosque Lalla Abla Mosque Church of the Immaculate Conception Anglican St Andrew's Church French Church Roman Catholic Cathedral Moshe Nahon Synagogue Shaar Rafael Synagogue
Palaces and museums	Kasbah Palace Mendoubia Mendoub's Residence Marshan Palace Abdelhafid Palace Ibn Battouta Museum Dar Niaba American Legation Museum of Contemporary Art Fondation Lorin Musée de Carmen-Macein Jewish Museum of Tangier Villa Harris
Other buildings	Plaza de Toros bullring Borj en Naam Gran Teatro Cervantes El Minzah Hotel Hotel Cecil Hotel Continental French Consulate General Café Hafa Tangerinn Cinémathèque de Tanger Cine Alcázar Villa Muniria [es]
Schools and colleges	Tangier Anglo-Moroccan School American School of Tangier
Transport	Rabat-Tangier expressway Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport
Sport and culture	Atletico Tanger IR Tanger Stade de Tanger Stade de Marchan Cap Radio (Morocco) National Cricket Stadium
Geography	Bay of Tangier Parc de la Mendoubia Colline du Charf Cape Spartel Cape Malabata

Overview

See also

References

Explore the world

United states

New York

Japan

Tokyo

Singapore

Singapore

Spain

Barca