Rabat

Ville d’histoire, d’art et de culture

Capital of Morocco, ranked in 2013 as the best tourist destination by CNN, it is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Rabat offers a pleasant living environment combining modernity and historical heritage, making it a cultural city par excellence for tourism.

Rabat is also famous for its green agglomeration. First green city of the country, it was chosen in 2010 by the American association “Earth Day Network”, as “first city” for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, thus consolidating its vocation as a city respectful of ‘environment.

Built on the banks of the Bouregreg River and the Atlantic Ocean, Rabat is recognized for its sites of interest, such as the Kasbah des Oudayas, royal fort of the Berber era surrounded by formal French-style gardens, the Hassan Tower , 12th century minaret dominating the remains of a Mosque and emblem of the city, the Mohammed V Mausoleum, which bears the name of the 20th century Moroccan sultan and king buried in walls decorated with mosaics….

Archaeological research done in Rabat shows that the city has attracted different peoples since Antiquity, such as the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians.

More recently, in 1150, Abdelmoumen, Chief of the Almohads, founded Rabat and made it a “Ribat”, which means in Arabic, fortress, better known by the name “Ribat Al Fath”, or “Fortress of Victory”, which served as a springboard for the conquest of Spain.

Long neglected since 1253 due to the Almoravid dynasty having elected Fez, capital of their empire, Rabat regained some of its glory around 1610, with the influx of Spaniards expelled from their country after the Christian Reconquista: commercial and Andalusian artisans develop a flourishing trade between Rabat and its twin city Salé.

Pleasant and most often sunny, Rabat is a cultural city per excellence which will provide its new students with a favorable environment and quality of life.

The city offers several activities: from theater to concerts and festivals, including conferences, film screenings and exhibitions, not to mention the endless walks in the peaceful, green and secure streets, everyone can fulfill their desires.