Kénitra, a City with a Rich Heritage

Significant Cultural and Natural Potential

Nestled just 40 kilometers north of Rabat, Kénitra, the economic capital of the Gharb region, stands today as one of Morocco’s major cities. This dynamic destination unveils a rich heritage dating back to Phoenician and Roman times. The city is home to the Port of Kénitra on the Sebou River, the kingdom’s first and only river port, a truly unique maritime gateway. Looking to the future, Kénitra hosts the Atlantic Free Zone, Africa’s largest export free zone spanning 345 hectares, embodying the successful marriage of historical heritage and modern ambition.

Discover its monuments

Where Heritage and Nature Become One...

Kénitra, a 20th-century city with colonial architectural charm, has experienced remarkable growth that has propelled it among the kingdom's major cities. Nestled in the heart of the Gharb region, it is surrounded by exceptional historical sites bearing witness to a thousand-year-old past: Banasa, Thamusida, Rhira, Vospisciana, Al Basra, as well as the majestic Kasbahs of Mehdiya and Kénitra. Its history is intimately linked to the Kasbah of Mehdiya, built in the sixth century B.C. by Hanno. A coveted land throughout the ages, Kénitra has journeyed through time, marked by Portuguese occupation in 1515, then Spanish in 1614, before being liberated by the Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail in 1681, thus inscribing its name in the grand epic of Morocco.