Tiznit
| Tiznit تيزنيت ⵜⵉⵣⵏⵉⵜ |
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| Basic data | |||||
| State : |
 Morocco
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| Region : | Souss-Massa | ||||
| Province : | Tiznit | ||||
| Coordinates | 29 ° 41 ′ N , 9 ° 44 ′ W | ||||
| Residents : | 74,699 (2014) | ||||
| Area : | 70.05 km² | ||||
| Population density : | 1,066 inhabitants per km² | ||||
| Height : | 250 m | ||||
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Tiznit (from Taschelhit ⵜⵉⵣⵏⵉⵜ Tiznit , Arabic تيزنيت, DMG Tīznīt ) is a city with approx. 80,000 inhabitants in the south of Morocco in the Souss-Massa region and the administrative seat of the province of the same name .
Location and climate
The town of Tiznit, which is almost 250 m high, is located about 95 km (driving distance) south of Agadir between the western foothills of the Anti-Atlas and the Atlantic Ocean, about 15 km away . The distance to the northeastern city of Marrakech is about 320 km. The climate in Tiznit is desert-like; Rain (approx. 160 mm / year) falls mainly in the winter months.
Population development
| year | 1994 | 2004 | 2014 |
| Residents | 43.001 | 53,682 | 74,699 |
The city's population consists almost exclusively of immigrant members of various Berber tribes from the area.
economy
Tiznit is the region's largest economic center south of Agadir; the cityscape is characterized by shops and service companies of all kinds. Tiznit has developed into the center of the handicrafts of the gold and silver smiths . Here - as otherwise only in Malta - the art of filigree work is practiced, in which the finest precious metal wires are processed into earrings, bracelets and necklaces via the intermediate station of small ornaments . But Berber jewelry with glass bead attachments and enamel inlays is also made here. Gold and silver jewelry is of great importance in Morocco, especially at weddings, with the Arabs living in the north traditionally preferring gold jewelry, while the Berbers of the south prefer silver jewelry.
history
Tiznit was founded in the years 1881/82 by the Alaouites - Sultan Mulai al-Hassan I. as a fortress city of the Moroccan central power against the always restless Berber tribes of the south.
At the beginning of the French protectorate (1912), the rebellious Berber prince Ahmed al-Hiba in Tiznit had himself proclaimed anti- sultan , but in the same year his army was defeated at Sidi Bou Othmane near Marrakech. A little later, the south-west of Morocco received de facto autonomy under the Goundafa- Berber Si Tayyeb clan chief, who had been raised by the French to the "Pasha of Tiznit" .
Cityscape
- The old town has a six kilometer long city wall completed in 1882 with 36 protruding towers and eight city gates. In Tiznit there is a small medina , a few trading places and the arcade-lined main square, Place du Méchouar .
- The Grande Mosquée (Great Mosque ) with its minaret adorned with wooden cross bars , which may indicate black African influences (e.g. Djenné , Mali or Agadez , Niger ), was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
- There is a well system (source bleue) nearby .
Town twinning
- Saint-Denis (France)
- Somerville (USA)
