Saoudi El Amalki
The restoration of the Kasbah of Agadir, the only historical and ancestral monument of heritage character, is finally resurfacing like a radiant nymph. We have been lovingly gathering ourselves to recreate this beautifully crafted jewel. The entire operation was rethought in its entirety with a view to highlighting a coherent body of work.
This dynamic of revisiting this symbol of national identity was part of a resolute impulse to restore the prestige of sites of archaeological proportion, manuscripts, ethnological objects, indigenous language, and cultural expressions. Thus, it is more appropriate to adopt a globalising vision that can facilitate this undertaking and ensure the expected feat.
This site, classified as national heritage in 1944 and shelved for about 60 years, is being revalued, given the new proactive synergy that has been established throughout the project. The combination of the efforts of local expertise, led by a high-performing scientific committee under the aegis of the project owner, the Company in charge of the site, masterfully led by Abdelkrim Azenfar, is a great contribution to the service of the unique ancestral jewel of which the community is amply proud and honoured.
We can only warmly welcome this symbiosis that has taken place around this heritage, which refers to a centuries-old history. This heritage has, in fact, brought together a whole host of actors driven by an ardent desire to be useful after such a long period of lethargy. It is, indeed, the best posthumous tribute that could be paid to a multitude of souls buried underground, whose spirit hovers over the peaks and slopes of this promontory, worn by time but still rich in the epics of yesteryear. The survivors of these fateful places would also have savoured the knowledgeable and thoughtful rehabilitation of what we will forever call "Agadir Oufella".
So many consultation meetings between regional decision-makers and scholars and experts in archaeology and urban planning have taken place in order to highlight the creative touch in terms of upgrading the ramparts of the Kasbah, restoring the brilliance of the internal paving, extracting the cemented elements from the facades, as well as the archaeological excavation procedures. Likewise, it involved the development of service areas related to the site, the redesign of the tombs, as well as the installation of signage relating to the paths and spaces leading to it.
It must be said that the enhancement of this site, long consigned to oblivion, is undoubtedly the major heritage event that contributes to the revival of the city's makeover, particularly in terms of the tourism industry regarding discovery, but also in terms of the reconciliation of the disaster-stricken city with its past. The citadel of Agadir was both a fortress that repelled foreign assaults and a jewel that overlooked the majestic seaside coastline with its edenic horizon.
We will also say that this beautiful piece of craftsmanship, right by the water, is the royal recognition of a site that is rising from its ashes after decades of abandonment. It is now being resurrected under the watchful eyes of the decisive team, within the framework of the Royal project, the Agadir Urban Development Programme (PDU).
The article The citadel of Agadir first appeared on ALBAYANE.