Rabat
Morocco's Capital on the Atlantic — Where History Meets Modern Governance
About Rabat
Welcome to Rabat
Rabat is Morocco's capital — a city of history, governance, and genuine livability on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river. Unlike many Arab capitals, Rabat has retained a human scale and a pleasantness of atmosphere that makes it one of the most agreeable cities in North Africa to spend time in. The city sits across the river from its twin city Salé, and together they form one of Morocco's most fascinating urban pairs.
The city's extraordinary historical layers are recognised in its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2012 as 'Rabat: Modern Capital and Historic City — a Shared Heritage'). The designation acknowledges four layers in particular: the Almohad fortifications of the 12th century (including the massive Hassan Tower), the Andalusian-influenced 17th-century medina, the Kasbah of the Udayas above the river mouth, and the French Protectorate-era Ville Nouvelle designed by Henri Prost — unusual as the colonial-era city is recognised alongside the pre-colonial heritage.
Why Visit Rabat?
- Hassan Tower: The great unfinished minaret of Yacoub al-Mansour's ambitious 12th-century mosque — one of Morocco's most iconic monuments, surrounded by hundreds of broken columns
- Mohammed V Mausoleum: The royal mausoleum adjacent to Hassan Tower — an outstanding example of contemporary Moroccan craft arts housing the tombs of Mohammed V and Hassan II
- Kasbah of the Udayas: A 12th-century Almohad fortress above the Bou Regreg estuary, with Andalusian garden, winding blue-and-white alleys, and extraordinary views over the river to Salé
- Chellah: The evocative Merinid necropolis built over the ancient Roman city of Sala Colonia — storks nest in the ruined minarets above Roman ruins and Muslim tombs
- Rabat Medina: A contained, navigable medina less pressured than Fes or Marrakech — excellent shopping for crafts and textiles without the overwhelming souk experience
- Museum Mohammed VI of Modern and Contemporary Art: One of Africa's finest museums of contemporary art in a purpose-built riverside building
- Royal Palace (exterior): The Mechouar (parade ground) and the gold-clad palace gates are a major sight even from outside the walls
Quick Info
Location
Morocco
Attractions
79 places to visit
Average Rating
4.5 / 5
Best Time to Visit
April - June, September - November (mild Atlantic climate pleasant year-round; summer is warm but not extreme)
Population
577,827
Region
Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
From Almohad Ribat to Modern Capital
Ancient Sala Colonia
The site at the mouth of the Bou Regreg was occupied in antiquity. The Phoenicians had a presence here, and the Romans established the city of Sala Colonia — the ruins of which lie beneath and around the Merinid necropolis of Chellah. Sala was a frontier city at the edge of Roman Mauretania Tingitana, and its ruins (visible today at Chellah) include a forum, baths, triumphal arch, and monumental gateway.
The Almohad Ribat (12th–13th centuries)
The name Rabat (رباط) means 'ribat' — a fortified religious retreat — and reflects the city's origin as a military-religious base established by the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century. The Caliph Yacoub al-Mansour chose Rabat as the launching base for his campaigns in Iberia and began constructing what would have been the world's largest mosque — of which only the forest of column stumps and the magnificent 44-metre-high Hassan Tower (an unfinished minaret) survive after his death in 1199 halted construction. The surrounding Almohad walls — massive, buttressed, and extending for kilometres — also date to this period.
The Kasbah of the Udayas and Andalusian Salé
The Kasbah of the Udayas at the river mouth was established as a fortress in this period and expanded over subsequent centuries. In the 17th century, the adjacent medina was settled by Andalusian Moorish refugees expelled from Spain — who brought their skills, culture, and distinctive urban fabric to the Bou Regreg shore. These Moriscos also established the Republic of Bou Regreg — a brief period of semi-autonomous piracy/privateering from the twin estuarial cities that made the Bou Regreg fleet notorious in European waters.
Merinid Chellah
The Merinid sultans of the 14th century built their royal necropolis — Chellah — over the ruins of Sala Colonia, constructing a walled complex of mosques, zawiyas, and royal tombs that remains one of Morocco's most evocative sites. The ruins today, with white storks nesting in the crumbling minarets, perfectly illustrate the layering of civilisations on this site.
French Protectorate Capital (1912–1956)
When the French Protectorate was established in 1912, Resident-General Lyautey chose Rabat — rather than the traditional imperial cities of Fes or Marrakech — as the new administrative capital. Urban planner Henri Prost designed a modern Ville Nouvelle adjacent to the medina, using a 'respect the existing city' approach that preserved the historic core while building modern administrative infrastructure alongside it. This planning philosophy, and the resulting dual-city form, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage rationale.
Things to Do in Rabat
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