The Portuguese church

In the medina near the south entrance of the Scala Kasbah, in a small dead end street, Rue Ibn Zohr, there is an old church just door to door with the old Portuguese consulat. Now the old wooden doors are padlocked but from a terrace on a nearby hotel we can see the ruins of the church tower. Unfortunately abandoned and neglected as many other historical monuments in this town,
The street is named from the famous Arab muslim Ibn Zuhr, who was physician in Sevilla where he was born and where he died in 1161.

The portuguese
In the 15th century the Portuguese were among other various travellers and merchants who invaded the moroccan coast.
In 1506, the king of Portugal, Manuel I, ordered a fortress to be built there, named "Castelo Real de Mogador". The fortress fell to the local resistance of the Regraga fraternity four years later.
Later, in the 18th century, merchants from Europe also arrived and the city began to enjoy its golden age. The sultan of that time, Sidi Mohamed ben Abdallah, decided to make it the most important port of the kingdom. He permitted different tribes to inhabit the city and consulates to be established: Denmark first, then France, Brasil and Portugal. This intelligent and tolerant sultan even welcomed an important Jewish community, which contributed greatly to the development of the city.
Mogador became the first Moroccan port to trade with the non-islamic world. It also became the destination for caravans bringing African riches from Timbuctu.


Portuguese Empire
Morocco

15th century 1415-1640 Ceuta
1458-1550 Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir)
1471-1550 Arzila (Asilah)
1471-1662 Tangier
1485-1550 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1487- middle 16th century Ouadane
1488-1541 Safim (Safi)

16th century 1505-1769 Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir)
1506-1525 Mogador (Essaouira)
1506-1525 Aguz (Souira Guedima)
1506-1769 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1513-1541 Azamor (Azemmour)
1577-1589 Arzila (Asilah)