One of the main historical sights of the capital of Morocco, the city of Rabat, is the fortress of the Berber garrison of Kasbah Udaya. It was built in the 1150s to defend the city from raids by nomads. And, as was customary in those days, the fortress was actually a city in a city. Inside the outer ring of walls were residential buildings and public buildings, a mosque, gardens and other buildings. Today, Kasba Udaya fortress provides visitors with a unique opportunity to admire the medieval city of Almohadi.
The fortress was built in the middle of the 12th century, but it gained its special significance only half a century later. With the coming to power of Almohad Yakub al-Mansur, the fortress became a stronghold throughout the length of the Bu-Regreg river. One fort made it possible to control a vast territory. With the change of dynasty, the fortress gradually fell into decay. The ancient fort was abandoned and until the 16th century robbers and pirates ruled in its walls. Kasba Udaya fortress was restored at the end of the 16th century by the Alawites. Its walls were again used to protect against European ships. The guns standing along the fortress walls have survived from this period.
But besides the defensive structures, there is something to see inside the fortress. First of all, we are talking about historical residential buildings, made in traditional white and blue colors. All houses are surrounded by numerous orange trees and exotic flowers, turning the interior of the fortress into one large oriental garden. On the territory of Kasbah Ubaya, the oldest mosque in the country operates - Rabat Jamaa el Atik. It was built on the main street in 1150 and is the same age as the fortress itself. The main entrances to the fortress are also interesting. Two fortress portals are decorated with images of outlandish animals and bizarre floral ornaments that are uncharacteristic of Arabic art. They are a great example of Moorish architecture from the Almohad period. The main observation deck is located in the northern part of the fortress, from there an extensive panorama of the sea opens.