Description of the attraction
Kasbah Udaya is the main fortress of Rabat. It is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and is a city within a city. The fortress was named after the Udaya tribe, who lived in these places even before the Arabs.
Although the construction was founded in 1158, it acquired its special significance only half a century later. It was then that the Almohads, who seized power, led by Sultan Yakub al-Mansur, took control of the entire Bu-Regregi valley and occupied this citadel. The Almohads built a gate in the Kasbah Udaya, on which you can still see the surviving images of animals.
With the departure of the Almohads, the Kasbah of the Udaya fell into decay, and this lasted for several centuries. All this time, robbers ruled here, including pirates, who used the fortress for quite a long time as a defense against the fleets of European states. At the end of the XVI century. the Kasbah Udaya fortress was rebuilt by the Alawites again. Their ancient cannons can be seen today.
The fortress gate is a real work of art from pre-Arab times. And behind them is a whole paradise: a variety of greenery, orange orchards, narrow streets with houses built of white shell rock. The main street called Djemaa leads directly to the mosque, erected in the XII century. The most favorite place for residents and guests of the city is a beautiful observation deck, from where a wonderful view of the sea opens.
Walking around the fortress, be sure to go to the Museum of Moroccan Art with a rich collection of oriental treasures. On the territory of the citadel there is a cozy cafe where you can relax and have a snack.
Today the Kasbah Udaya fortress is the most beautiful architectural monument of Rabat.
