Grand Socco

Grand Socco

Grand Socco (meaning "Big Square"), (officially known as Place du Grand 9 Avril 1947 but is rarely used) is a square in the medina area of central Tangier, Morocco and the larger of the Petit Socco which make up the medina of the city. The Grand Socco divides the medina from the Ville Nouvelle area of Tangier. The square was named Place du Grand 9 Avril 1947 after the speech of Mohammed V in support of Moroccan independence on April 9, 1947. Mendoubia Gardens forms part of the area where they is a large marble fountain and park benches.

The square, which underwent further development in 2005,^[1] is particularly active during the evenings when vendors put up their extensive displays and sell a diversity of second-hand goods and fruits and spices in the square. The market is particularly colorful, and the female peasant sellers are known for their striped foutas and wide brimmed straw hats. Nearby is the Forbes Museum of Tangier, the Anglican Church of St. Andrew (1894) and the Sidi Bou Abib Mosque (1917).^[2]

References

1. ^ Humphrys, Darren (2008). Frommer's Morocco. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 280. ISBN 9780470184035. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yf7f9ZrumucC&pg=PA280&lpg=PA280&dq=Rue+Es+Siaghine&source=bl&ots=_yRk-X5RPY&sig=NEpzCs8UFQYUqTex-EXfIwYMz6M&hl=en&ei=Oq8rSsDtCaOUjAfujoH7Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=12#PPA280,M1. 
2. ^ Morocco. Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides. 2006. pp. 133.