Agadir

The name Agadir is a common Berber noun, meaning 'wall, enclosure, fortified building, citadel'. This noun is attested in most Berber languages. It may come from the Tuareg word aǧādir ('wall' or 'bank') or from Phoenician gadir ('wall' or 'fortress'). The former word may also be a loanword from the latter. The Phoenician etymology, if correct, would be the same as that of Cádiz in Spain. There are many more towns in Morocco called Agadir. The city of Agadir's full name in Tashelhit is Agadir Ighir or Agadir-n-Irir, literally 'the fortress of the cape', referring to the nearby promontory named Cape Ighir on maps (a pleonastic name, literally 'Cape Cape').

The oldest known map that includes an indication of Agadir is from 1325: at the approximate location of the modern city, it names a place it calls Porto Mesegina, after a Berber tribe name that had been recorded as early as the 12th century, the Mesguina (also known as the Ksima). At the end of the medieval period, Agadir was a town of some renown. The first known mention of its name, Agadir al-harba, was recorded in 1510. In the late 15th century the Portuguese began to occupy positions along the Moroccan coast. In 1505 the Portuguese nobleman João Lopes de Sequeira occupied the area. He built a wooden castle at the foot of a hill, near a spring, and a Portuguese colony named Santa Cruz do Cabo do Gué was created. The site still bears the name of Funti or Founti (from the Portuguese word fonte, meaning "fountain"). The castle was later bought by the King of Portugal on 25 January 1513. …

The current conurbation of Agadir is actually a combination of four communes: the former town of Agadir city the urban commune of Anza the rural town of Bensergao the rural town of Tikiwine This area is named after the old district of Talborjt (meaning "small fort" in local Berber, in remembrance of the water tower which was first built on the plateau in the former Talborjt). Lively, the New Talborjt which has been rebuilt away from the Old Talborjt, has as the main artery the Boulevard Mohammed Sheikh Saadi, named after the victor against the Portuguese in 1541. Other major avenues are the Avenue President Kennedy and the Avenue 29 February. There is also the Mohammed V mosque, the Olhão garden (Olhão is a coastal city in southern Portugal that is twinned with Agadir), and its memorial museum and the Garden Ibn Zaydoun. …

The Timitar festival, a festival of Amazigh culture and music from around the world, has been held in Agadir every summer since its inception in July 2004. The Morocco Movement association is involved in the arts and organizes concerts, exhibitions and meetings in the visual arts, design, music, graphic design, photography, environment and health. Other cultural events in Agadir are: Noiz Makerz concert of urban music. Breaking South national break-dancing championship International Documentary Film Festival in November (FIDADOC) Film Festival for immigration International Festival of University Theatre of Agadir Concert for Tolerance (November) Festival of Laughter International Salon of Art of Photography (Clubphoto d'Agadir) Musée de Talborjt "La Casbah" Musée Bert Flint Le Musée des Arts Berberes Musee Municipal de Agadir La Medina d'Agadir Agadir Museum of Art

The city had an annual growth rate of over 6% per year in housing demand while housing production barely exceeds 3.4%. Agadir's economy relies mainly on tourism and fisheries. Car rental services support the tourism sector by allowing visitors to reach nearby attractions such as Taghazout, Taroudant, and the Souss-Massa National Park. Agricultural activities are based around the city. Agadir has one of the biggest souks in Morocco (Souk El Had). The fishing port is a major sardine port. The commercial port is also known for its exports of cobalt, manganese, zinc and citrus products. The Avenue du Port, the main artery of the Anza district, is surrounded by canneries and has many popular small restaurants adjacent to the fish market. …

Agadir Crocodile park The view of the city and the bay from Agadir Oufla (Casbah) Valley of the Birds, a pleasant bird park stretching along the Avenue of Administrations, between Boulevard Hassan II and 20 August The garden of Ibn Zaidoun Mohammed V Mosque, on the Boulevard President Kennedy Souk el Had (The biggest Market in Africa ) Amazigh (Berber) Heritage Museum at the Ayt Souss Square The garden of Olhão or "Garden of Portugal" and its memorial museum in Talborjt The marina with its Moorish architecture and shops Loubnane Mosque Wall of commemoration Memory of Agadir Museum; mostly photographic exhibits which concentrate on the Agadir earthquake on 29 February 1960 The city of Taroudannt 80 km to the east, along the Souss valley Palm Oasis of Tiout 20 km to the east of Taroudannt and 100 km from Agadir Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane a small town 60 km northeast of Agadir where Paradise V …