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<!-- Basic info ---------------->| official_name = Safi <!-- Basic info ---------------->| official_name = Safi
| native_name = {{native name|ar|آسفي}} | native_name = {{lang|ar|آسفي}}
| nickname = | nickname =
| settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> | settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
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'''Safi''' or '''Asfi''' ({{lang-ar|آسفي|ʾāsafī}}) is a city in western ] on the ]. It is the capital of ]. It recorded a population of 308,508 in the ].<ref name=census2014/> The city was occupied by the ] from 1488 to 1541, was the center of Morocco's ] industry, and became a ''fortaleza'' of the Portuguese Crown in 1508.<ref>{{cite book | title = A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion 1400–1668 | last = Newitt | first = Malyn | publisher = Routledge | date = November 5, 2004 | page = 66 | isbn = 9781134553044 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HDODAgAAQBAJ }}</ref> Safi is the main fishing port for the country's ] industry, and also exports ]s, textiles and ]. During the ], Safi was the site of ], one of the landing sites for ]. '''Safi''' or '''Asfi''' ({{langx|ar|آسفي|ʾāsafī}}) is a city in western ] on the ]. It is the capital of ]. It recorded a population of 308,508 in the ].<ref name=census2014/> The city was occupied by the ] from 1488 to 1541, was the center of Morocco's ] industry, and became a ''fortaleza'' of the Portuguese Crown in 1508.<ref>{{cite book | title = A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion 1400–1668 | last = Newitt | first = Malyn | publisher = Routledge | date = November 5, 2004 | page = 66 | isbn = 9781134553044 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HDODAgAAQBAJ }}</ref> Safi is the main fishing port for the country's ] industry, and also exports ]s, textiles and ]. During the ], Safi was the site of ], one of the landing sites for ].


==Etymology== ==Etymology==
11th-century geographer ] gave an explanation to the origin the name "Asafi" as he linked it to the Arabic word "Asaf" (regret); Asafi (my regret). He based this claim on a strange story about some sailors from ] who sailed to discover the other end of the Atlantic Ocean but got lost and landed on some island where the natives captured them and sent them back on their ships blindfolded. The ships eventually ended on the shores of "Safi" and locals helped the lost sailors and told them that they were two months away from their native land ]. Upon hearing this one of the sailors responded by saying: "Wa asafi" (Oh my regret). ] wrote that from that time the city carried the name "Asafi".<ref>{{cite book|last=Arabian American Oil Company, Aramco Services Company, Saudi Aramco|title=Aramco world, Volumes 42-43|year=1991|publisher=Aramco|pages=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkkgAQAAMAAJ}}</ref>
The name "Safi" (also spelled "Asfi") originates from the Tamazight (Berber) word "Asfi," which translates to "river" or "estuary." This etymology underscores Safi's geographical significance as a coastal city characterized by a notable riverine presence. The term "Asfi" highlights the city's historical connection to water, which has been a pivotal factor in its development and strategic importance <ref>{{Cite web |title=Safi {{!}} Mediterranean Coast, Phoenician Settlement, Portuguese Colony {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Safi |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mo-srocco |url=https://www.mo-srocco.com/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Mo-srocco |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Safi {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/safi |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>.


==History==
There are conflicting theories regarding the origin of the name "Safi." The 11th-century geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi provided an alternative explanation, linking the name to the Arabic word "Asaf" (regret). According to al-Idrisi, the name "Asafi" originated from a story about sailors from al-Andalus who, while exploring the Atlantic, became lost and landed on an unknown island. After being captured and later released blindfolded, the sailors eventually reached the shores of Safi. Upon realizing they were far from home, one of the sailors lamented, "Wa asafi" (Oh my regret). Al-Idrisi claimed the city was named "Asafi" from that point forward <ref>{{cite book|last=Arabian American Oil Company, Aramco Services Company, Saudi Aramco|title=Aramco World, Volumes 42-43|year=1991|publisher=Aramco|pages=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkkgAQAAMAAJ}}</ref>.
According to historians Henri Basset and Robert Ricard, Safi was not a very ancient city.<ref name=":0523">{{EI2|title=Aṣfī|volume=1|pages=688-689|last1=Basset|first1=Henri|last2=Ricard|first2=Robert}}</ref> It was mentioned in the writings of ] in the 11th century and of ] in the 12th century.<ref name=":0523" /> According to Moroccan historian Mohammed al-Kanuni, Safi can be identified with the ancient ] or Carcunticus that was founded by the ] admiral ] during his ], as related by ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cornell |first=Vincent J. |url=https://archive.org/details/vincent-cornell-realm-moroccan-sufism/page/n185/mode/2up |title=Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism |publisher=University of Texas Press |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-292-78970-8 |pages=326 (see note 80) |language=en}}</ref>

Al-Idrisi mentions Safi as a busy port in the 12th century.<ref name=":0523" /> At this time it served as a port for ], the capital of the ] and the subsequent ], replacing the port of Ribat Kuz (present-day Souira Kedima) that had served as the main port for ] in the previous century.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vKiW0HDhAcoC&pg=PA48 |title=Itinéraire culturel des Almoravides et des Almohades: Maghreb et Péninsule ibérique |date= |publisher=Fundación El Legado Andalusí |year=1999 |isbn=978-84-930615-1-7 |pages=48 |language=fr}}</ref>

The city was under ] rule from 1488 to 1541; it is believed that they abandoned it to the ] (who were at war with them), since the city proved difficult to defend from land attacks. The Portuguese fortress built to protect the city is still there today.

After 1541, the city played a major role in ] as one of the safest and biggest ] in the country. Many ambassadors to the ] and ] kings during the 16th–18th centuries came to Morocco via Safi; its proximity to ], then capital of Morocco, helped expand the maritime trade in the city.<br />
], consul of the French court in Morocco in 1767, reported that the city was the only usable seaport at the time.
A ] captive, ], who wrote the account of his stay in ] in his 1765 book ''Relations de l'affaire de Larache'', reported the presence of an important number of foreign trading houses in the city: Dutch, Danish, British and French.

After the Sultan ] built the city of ] (modern-day Essaouira), he banned foreign trade in all Moroccan ports except in his newly built city. Consequently, Safi stopped playing a leading role in the Moroccan trade.

Safi's patron saint is ].

In 1942 as part of ], American forces attacked Safi in ]. During November 8-10, 1942 the Americans took control over Safi and its port and took relatively few casualties compared to the other operations at ] and at ].


== Climate == == Climate ==
Line 140: Line 156:
|Aug record high C = 46.5 |Aug record high C = 46.5
|Sep record high C = 42.6 |Sep record high C = 42.6
|Oct record high C = 38.3 |Oct record high C = 39.5
|Nov record high C = 34.2 |Nov record high C = 34.2
|Dec record high C = 27.4 |Dec record high C = 27.4
Line 251: Line 267:
|date=November 2011 |date=November 2011
}} }}

==History==
{{Expand French|Safi (Maroc)|date=November 2020|topic=geo}}
{{Expand Portuguese|topic=geo|Safim|date=November 2020}}
Safi, under the name ''Safim'' (''Zaffim'' or ''Asfi''), is one of the oldest cities in Morocco. According to historian Mohammed al-Kanuni, Safi must be identified with the ancient ] or Carcunticus{{Citation needed|reason=Can find no unrelated info on this historian or placename online|date=May 2019}} and was founded by the ] ] during his ] as related by ].<ref>Vincent J. Cornell, ''Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism'', p. 326</ref>

Under the ] it functioned as an important port to the capital Marrakesh.

]The city was under ] rule from 1488 to 1541; it is believed that they abandoned it to the ] (who were at war with them), since the city proved difficult to defend from land attacks. The Portuguese fortress built to protect the city is still there today.

After 1541, the city played a major role in ] as one of the safest and biggest ] in the country. Many ambassadors to the ] and ] kings during the 16th–18th centuries came to Morocco via Safi; its proximity to ], then capital of Morocco, helped expand the maritime trade in the city.<br />
], consul of the French court in Morocco in 1767, reported that the city was the only usable seaport at the time.<br />
A ] captive, ], who wrote the account of his stay in ] in his 1765 book ''Relations de l'affaire de Larache'', reported the presence of an important number of foreign trading houses in the city: Dutch, Danish, British and French.

After the Sultan ] built the city of ] (modern-day Essaouira), he banned foreign trade in all Moroccan ports except in his newly built city. Consequently, Safi stopped playing a leading role in the Moroccan trade.

Safi's patron saint is ].

In 1942 as part of ], American forces attacked Safi in ]. During November 8-10, 1942 the Americans took control over Safi and its port and took relatively few casualties compared to the other operations at ] and at ].


==Population== ==Population==
Line 293: Line 289:
The ] team of the same name is one of Morocco's best, having won the "Coupe du Trône" several times. There also is a little Tennis Sport Club with a couple of fields (following the high road, beyond the Colline des Poitiers). The ] team of the same name is one of Morocco's best, having won the "Coupe du Trône" several times. There also is a little Tennis Sport Club with a couple of fields (following the high road, beyond the Colline des Poitiers).


==The European Cemetery== ==European cemetery==
There is an abandoned European Cemetery in Safi. Some of the marble decorations have been stolen from the richest tombs, including: Russian, Portuguese, Spanish (e.g. the Do Carmo family), Italian (e.g. the Bormioli family), French (e.g., the Chanel family), German and other European nationals. Some engravings identifying or memorializing the deceased have also been stolen. Although there are 19th century tombs present, most are of pre-independence (1956) 20th century origin.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} There is an abandoned European cemetery in Safi. Some of the marble decorations have been stolen from the richest tombs, including: Russian, Portuguese, Spanish (e.g. the Do Carmo family), Italian (e.g. the Bormioli family), French (e.g., the Chanel family), German and other European nationals. Some engravings identifying or memorializing the deceased have also been stolen. Although there are 19th century tombs present, most are of pre-independence (1956) 20th century origin.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}


==Notable people==<!-- New links in alphabetical order --> ==Notable people==<!-- New links in alphabetical order -->
Line 326: Line 322:
==Gallery== ==Gallery==
<gallery> <gallery>
Image:Corniche souiria leqdima.jpg| File:Corniche souiria leqdima.jpg
Image:Bab cheeba2.jpg| File:Bab cheeba2.jpg
Image:Plateau2.jpg| File:Plateau2.jpg
Image:Safi1 (js).jpg| File:Safi1 (js).jpg
Image:Vue sur la plage.jpg | File:Vue sur la plage.jpg
Image:Tres belle vue.jpg | File:Tres belle vue.jpg
Image:Safi4 (js).jpg | File:Safi4 (js).jpg
Image:Paysage mer2.jpg | File:Paysage mer2.jpg
Image:Vue sur biada2.jpg| File:Vue sur biada2.jpg
File:Le plus grand Tajine au monde.jpg|Tajine memorial
</gallery> </gallery>



Latest revision as of 10:27, 22 October 2024

City in Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco
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Place in Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco
Safi آسفي
Safi citySafi city
Coat of arms of SafiCoat of arms
Safi is located in MoroccoSafiSafiLocation in MoroccoShow map of MoroccoSafi is located in AfricaSafiSafiSafi (Africa)Show map of Africa
Coordinates: 32°17′N 9°14′W / 32.283°N 9.233°W / 32.283; -9.233
Country Morocco
RegionMarrakesh-Safi
ProvinceSafi
Area
 • Total34 km (13 sq mi)
Population
 • Total308,508
 • Rank13th in Morocco

Safi or Asfi (Arabic: آسفي, romanizedʾāsafī) is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of Asfi Province. It recorded a population of 308,508 in the 2014 Moroccan census. The city was occupied by the Portuguese Empire from 1488 to 1541, was the center of Morocco's weaving industry, and became a fortaleza of the Portuguese Crown in 1508. Safi is the main fishing port for the country's sardine industry, and also exports phosphates, textiles and ceramics. During the Second World War, Safi was the site of Operation Blackstone, one of the landing sites for Operation Torch.

Etymology

11th-century geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi gave an explanation to the origin the name "Asafi" as he linked it to the Arabic word "Asaf" (regret); Asafi (my regret). He based this claim on a strange story about some sailors from al-Andalus who sailed to discover the other end of the Atlantic Ocean but got lost and landed on some island where the natives captured them and sent them back on their ships blindfolded. The ships eventually ended on the shores of "Safi" and locals helped the lost sailors and told them that they were two months away from their native land al-Andalus. Upon hearing this one of the sailors responded by saying: "Wa asafi" (Oh my regret). Al-Idrisi wrote that from that time the city carried the name "Asafi".

History

According to historians Henri Basset and Robert Ricard, Safi was not a very ancient city. It was mentioned in the writings of al-Bakri in the 11th century and of al-Idrisi in the 12th century. According to Moroccan historian Mohammed al-Kanuni, Safi can be identified with the ancient Thymiaterium or Carcunticus that was founded by the Carthaginian admiral Hanno during his Periplus, as related by Pliny the Elder.

Al-Idrisi mentions Safi as a busy port in the 12th century. At this time it served as a port for Marrakesh, the capital of the Almoravids and the subsequent Almohads, replacing the port of Ribat Kuz (present-day Souira Kedima) that had served as the main port for Aghmat in the previous century.

The city was under Portuguese rule from 1488 to 1541; it is believed that they abandoned it to the Saadians (who were at war with them), since the city proved difficult to defend from land attacks. The Portuguese fortress built to protect the city is still there today.

After 1541, the city played a major role in Morocco as one of the safest and biggest seaports in the country. Many ambassadors to the Saadian and Alaouite kings during the 16th–18th centuries came to Morocco via Safi; its proximity to Marrakech, then capital of Morocco, helped expand the maritime trade in the city.
Louis De Chénier, consul of the French court in Morocco in 1767, reported that the city was the only usable seaport at the time.

A French Navy captive, Bidé de Maurville, who wrote the account of his stay in Morocco in his 1765 book Relations de l'affaire de Larache, reported the presence of an important number of foreign trading houses in the city: Dutch, Danish, British and French.

After the Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah built the city of Mogador (modern-day Essaouira), he banned foreign trade in all Moroccan ports except in his newly built city. Consequently, Safi stopped playing a leading role in the Moroccan trade.

Safi's patron saint is Abu Mohammed Salih.

In 1942 as part of Operation Torch, American forces attacked Safi in Operation Blackstone. During November 8-10, 1942 the Americans took control over Safi and its port and took relatively few casualties compared to the other operations at Casablanca and at Port Mehdia.

Climate

Safi has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh).

Climate data for Safi (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30.3
(86.5)
32.0
(89.6)
36.0
(96.8)
37.7
(99.9)
40.5
(104.9)
45.8
(114.4)
46.4
(115.5)
46.5
(115.7)
42.6
(108.7)
39.5
(103.1)
34.2
(93.6)
27.4
(81.3)
46.5
(115.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 18.7
(65.7)
19.6
(67.3)
21.5
(70.7)
22.5
(72.5)
24.3
(75.7)
26.1
(79.0)
29.1
(84.4)
29.3
(84.7)
27.5
(81.5)
25.5
(77.9)
22.2
(72.0)
19.9
(67.8)
23.8
(74.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 13.3
(55.9)
14.3
(57.7)
16.2
(61.2)
17.5
(63.5)
19.7
(67.5)
22.0
(71.6)
24.5
(76.1)
24.8
(76.6)
23.0
(73.4)
20.9
(69.6)
17.2
(63.0)
14.8
(58.6)
19.0
(66.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 7.9
(46.2)
8.9
(48.0)
10.9
(51.6)
12.6
(54.7)
15.1
(59.2)
17.8
(64.0)
19.7
(67.5)
20.2
(68.4)
18.6
(65.5)
16.3
(61.3)
12.2
(54.0)
9.8
(49.6)
14.2
(57.6)
Record low °C (°F) −2.2
(28.0)
−0.1
(31.8)
2.9
(37.2)
5.8
(42.4)
6.0
(42.8)
11.6
(52.9)
14.7
(58.5)
15.1
(59.2)
11.1
(52.0)
8.9
(48.0)
2.3
(36.1)
2.2
(36.0)
−2.2
(28.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 55.8
(2.20)
48.2
(1.90)
41.2
(1.62)
24.5
(0.96)
14.8
(0.58)
3.2
(0.13)
0.6
(0.02)
0.2
(0.01)
5.0
(0.20)
41.6
(1.64)
68.7
(2.70)
62.2
(2.45)
366.0
(14.41)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.7 5.0 5.2 3.7 2.0 0.6 0.2 0.0 1.0 4.0 5.7 5.4 38.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 219.3 211.7 258.0 284.7 318.8 303.9 320.3 306.2 267.6 246.0 220.3 208.9 3,165.7
Source 1: NCEI (sun, 1981-2010)
Source 2: NOAA

Population

The inhabitants are composed of Berber and Arab descendants.

The Berber origin is related to:

  • The Berbers who lived in the region before the foundation of the city.
  • The Berbers who came later from the Sous plains, south of the region.

The Arab origin is related to two tribes:

  • Abda: They descend from Banu Hilal and have hugtalled in the region in the twelfth century and spawned : Bhatra and Rabiaa.
  • Ahmar: They descend from Maqil.

Safi also used to have a large Jewish community, more than 20% of the population, many of whom subsequently emigrated to France, Canada and Israel.

Economy

Pottery from Safi

In the early 20th century, the Moroccan potter Boujemâa Lamali established a pottery school in Safi, supported by the colonial administration. Since then pottery has been a mainstay of Safi's economy. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there were 2,000 registered artisans working in the city's 212 workshops, and thousands more unregistered artisans.

Sport

Football and rugby are popular sports in Safi. The local football team Olympic Safi have been competing in Morocco's premier football division, Botola, since 2004.
The Rugby Union team of the same name is one of Morocco's best, having won the "Coupe du Trône" several times. There also is a little Tennis Sport Club with a couple of fields (following the high road, beyond the Colline des Poitiers).

European cemetery

There is an abandoned European cemetery in Safi. Some of the marble decorations have been stolen from the richest tombs, including: Russian, Portuguese, Spanish (e.g. the Do Carmo family), Italian (e.g. the Bormioli family), French (e.g., the Chanel family), German and other European nationals. Some engravings identifying or memorializing the deceased have also been stolen. Although there are 19th century tombs present, most are of pre-independence (1956) 20th century origin.

Notable people

See also

Gallery

  • Tajine memorial Tajine memorial

References

  1. ^ "POPULATION LÉGALE DES RÉGIONS, PROVINCES, PRÉFECTURES, MUNICIPALITÉS, ARRONDISSEMENTS ET COMMUNES DU ROYAUME D'APRÈS LES RÉSULTATS DU RGPH 2014" (in Arabic and French). High Commission for Planning, Morocco. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. Newitt, Malyn (November 5, 2004). A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion 1400–1668. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 9781134553044.
  3. Arabian American Oil Company, Aramco Services Company, Saudi Aramco (1991). Aramco world, Volumes 42-43. Aramco. p. 12.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Basset, Henri & Ricard, Robert (1960). "Aṣfī". In Gibb, H. A. R.; Kramers, J. H.; Lévi-Provençal, E.; Schacht, J.; Lewis, B. & Pellat, Ch. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume I: A–B. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 688–689. OCLC 495469456.
  5. Cornell, Vincent J. (1998). Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism. University of Texas Press. pp. 326 (see note 80). ISBN 978-0-292-78970-8.
  6. Itinéraire culturel des Almoravides et des Almohades: Maghreb et Péninsule ibérique (in French). Fundación El Legado Andalusí. 1999. p. 48. ISBN 978-84-930615-1-7.
  7. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010: Safi". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  8. "Safi Climate Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  9. MENNIS, Allal. "Safi ville.com". www.safi-ville.com.
  10. "Why are Morocco's famed artisans paving roads in the desert?". The Economist. 2021-06-12. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  11. "Mehdi Aissaoui". IMDb. Retrieved Jan 5, 2021.
  12. "Cabinet approves Meir Ben Shabbat as national security adviser". Ynetnews. Nov 12, 2017. Retrieved Jan 5, 2021.

External links

32°17′N 9°14′W / 32.283°N 9.233°W / 32.283; -9.233

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