Ceuta is an autonomous city in Morocco (semi-enclave of Spain). ceuta spain north africa ceuta port spain map

Geographically, the territory of the Spanish enclaves in the territories of Ceuta and Melilla can be characterized as a semi-enclave or a maritime enclave. Both Ceuta and Melilla have their own territorial waters with access to the open sea. Ceuta is located on seven small mountains, the highest of which is Anyera with a height of 349 meters.

In addition to the continental part, Ceuta occupies a small peninsula de Almina, which protrudes into the Strait of Gibraltar from the African coast and is considered the border Atlantic Ocean. The most high point peninsula Mount Acho (Monte Hacho) with a height of 204 meters. At the top of the mountain there is a sea fort founded by the Phoenicians, the monastery of San Antonio and the memorial of Franco.

The ancient name of this mountain, Abila (Mons Abila, Monte Abila, Abyla), according to one of the two versions of ancient Greek mythology, it is the southern of the Pillars of Hercules. Another version claims that the mountain Jebel Musa (Adrar Musa 851 m) in Morocco could be the southern pillar. We remind you that the rock of Gibraltar is considered to be the northern pillar.

The extreme points of the Almina Peninsula, the island of Santa Catalina (La isla de Santa Catalina), where in the 18th century a prison and Cape La Almina were located on the territory of a military fort. The peninsula is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus protected by ancient fortress walls.

The climate in the autonomy of Ceuta is mild subtropical, Mediterranean, with an average annual temperature of about 16 ºC. The main factor influencing the formation of climatic features of Ceuta is the coastal mountain system and Mount Jebel Musa, 851 meters above sea level. Mountains create a natural barrier to the formation of a microclimate, preventing the free passage of both continental and marine air currents.

The amount of precipitation falling in winter is very irregular and depends on the Atlantic winds. Summer period can be described as dry. Despite this, the relative humidity of the air is significantly higher than the average value and is more than 80%.

Modern etymologists believe that the name Ceuta appeared as a derivative of the name of the ancient Roman trading post Septem, the Seven Brothers (Septem Fratres), which appeared from the seven hills of the Almina Peninsula on which the city is located, first described by the ancient Roman geographer Pomponio Mena (1st century AD) . Thus, the version is supported that the Roman name Septem was transformed into the Arabic Sebta, and then into the Spanish Ceuta.

In memory of the Moroccan War, Queen Elizabeth II of Spain established the County of Almina (Condado de la Almina). This title of nobility was bestowed by the queen on the commander of one of the corps of the Spanish army, General Antonio de Ros Alano, on July 17, 1860.

Ceuta is a city with more than 2000 summer history, who survived the presence of all human civilizations vying for the right to control the Strait of Gibraltar. Ceuta is located at the junction of the two continents of Europe and Africa and the confluence of and.

Ancient history

Primitive, stone tools of labor of the primitive man of the Neolithic times, found in the caves of Ceuta, enable archaeologists to assert. Archaeological excavations on the border with Morocco, called Cabililla de Benzú, confirm the opinion of scientists that these places were inhabited by our distant ancestors between 100,000 and 250,000 years ago. It was from here that the first intercontinental travelers moved to the European continent.

Ancient Greek legends about the giant Hercules, who parted the mountains and connected the seas, give rise to the assertion that this small peninsula of Almina was familiar to the first Phoenician and ancient Greek navigators. In his legends II and I millennium BC. e., the Greeks identified Ceuta with Mount Abilla, the southern of the Pillars of Hercules, today Mount Acho.

Despite the found Phoenician coins, coinage and fragments of pottery from the 5th century BC, there is no reliable evidence of the existence of a Phoenician or Carthaginian settlement here.

Roman period

From the existing Roman written documents of the 1st century BC. e. it is known that before the arrival of the Romans, the peninsula of Abilla, the territory of modern Ceuta, belonged to the kingdom of Mauritania.

According to the early Roman geographer Pomponius Mela, the first city-forming fishing and salt trading post formed here by the Romans was called the Seven Brothers (Septem Frates), its inhabitants salted fish and produced Garum sauce.

The main attraction of the Roman period, a marble sarcophagus of the 3rd century, is stored today in archaeological museum Ceuta.

Archaeologists also claim that a Christian community has existed in Ceuta since the 4th century, as evidenced by the foundations of an early Christian basilica and necropolis in Africa Square. This is the place of the earliest Christian worship, discovered in the territory of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitana (Mauritania Tingitana), with the capital.

Visigoths, Vandals and Byzantines

After the fall of the Roman Empire (411), the former Roman provinces were taken over by the ancient Germanic tribes of the Goths. As a result of the struggle for new territories, the Visigoths expelled the former allies of the Vandals from the Iberian Peninsula.

In 429, the Vandals crossed to the coast of North Africa. Under the onslaught of warlike barbarians, the settlement built by the Romans and the fish processing plant was destroyed and lost its former significance. Further, all of North Africa came under the control of the Kingdom of the Vandals.

A new historical turn, the development of Ceuta, came in 533 with the conquest of the peninsula by the troops Byzantine emperor Justinian I (the Great). The Byzantines chose Ceuta as their base in the war with the Visigothic Kingdom for the return of Roman territories. Fortifications were erected around the city and the first Church of the Mother of God (Madre de Dios) was built.

Soon the Visigothic king Theodoric III, organized a military campaign to capture Ceuta (Septón) and weaken the military power of the Byzantines, which lasted from 542 to 548, as a result of which the Visigoths took possession of the peninsula.

Ceuta under Muslim rule

During the ongoing internal strife in the Kingdom of the Visigoths, Ceuta was captured by troops Arab caliph Al Walida I. During the period of Muslim domination over Ceuta (709-1415), the city was destroyed several times and changed rulers. Historians mention an uprising in support of the Arabs, led by the Visigothic governor of Ceuta, Count Don Julian, which became the reason for the rapid capture of the city.

Later (711) from the port of Ceuta, on ships provided by Don Julian, Arab troops crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to begin the military expansion of the Iberian Peninsula.

The rulers of the local Berber tribe of Khorijites, who did not accept the rule of the Arabs, raised an uprising in 740, which was brutally suppressed by troops sent from Damascus by Caliph Hisham. For more than a year, the Berbers ruled in Ceuta, turning into slaves the inhabitants of the city who did not have time to cross the strait to Al Andalus. After the expulsion of the Berbers, a period of oblivion began for the completely destroyed Ceuta, until the middle of the 9th century.

The next heyday of Ceuta began under the control of the Berber dynasty Banu Isam, the Maykasa tribe, and lasted from the middle of the 9th century until 931. During this time, the city was completely restored and changed four generations of rulers.

In 931, the ruler Abdarrahman III captured Ceuta and made it the most important port, linking Al Andalus with the states of the Maghreb with his African outpost.

After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba, Ceuta fell under the rule of Taif Malaga (1024), then became a separate state several times. The first time, Taifa Ceuta, connected to Tangier, under the control of the Berber ruler Suqut al Bargawati, lasted from 1061 to 1084, until it was occupied by the Almoravid troops.

Soon, after fierce warriors for the purity of the morals of early Islam, the territories of the Almoravids came under the control of another Berber Almohad dynasty, whose troops occupied Ceuta in 1147.

During the reign of the Almohads, Ceuta was the largest trading port Mediterranean, where there were diplomatic missions of many Christian kingdoms that occupied the territory of modern France, Italy.

After the defeat, by the united Christian forces of Castile, Aragon and Portugal, the Almohad troops in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (July 16, 1212), one of the main turning points of the reconquest came, the Muslims rapidly began to lose the territory of the former.

It is necessary to note the selfless feat of six Christian preachers led by Saint Daniel (San Daniel), who arrived from Tarragona on September 20, 1227 in Ceuta with the word of God. All six monks were beheaded on the Bloody Beach (Playa de la Sangre) of Ceuta, October 10, 1227. For this feat, all six monks were canonized (1516) by the Vatican, and Saint Daniel is considered the patron saint of the city.

Since the capture (1232) by the troops of the former Almohad commander Muhammad Yusuf al Judami, better known as Ibn Hud, Ceuta has been at the forefront of all military events in North Africa for more than a hundred years. A year later, Ceuta for several years from 1233 to 1236 returned the status of a prosperous trading city, becoming an independent state under the rule of Al Yanaati.

From 1236 to 1242 the Almohads regained their influence over Ceuta. Then (1242-1273), the city was seized by the out-of-control Almohads, Abu Zakariya (Abu Zakariyya) from the Khamsid dynasty, who at that time had already declared himself the emir of Tunisia.

The growing Moroccan Mirinid dynasty includes the cities of Ceuta and Tangier in its possession (1273). Immediately after this, Ceuta is captured by the navy of Aragon, the Mirinids undertake to pay an annual tribute for the independence of Ceuta.

The expanding state of the Nasrids occupied Ceuta from 1305 to 1309. It was only with the participation of the Kings of Castile and Aragon that the Mirinids were able to retake Ceuta.

Muslim rule over Ceuta ended on August 14, 1415, when Portuguese warships under the command of Prince Enrique the Navigator captured the city in one day.

Portuguese conquest

The king of Portugal, João I, had been preparing for the conquest of Ceuta for several years. Especially for this company, a powerful fleet was built, consisting of 200 ships and 45,000 soldiers. On August 21, a week after the end of the victorious battle, the royal retinue passed through the deserted streets of the defeated city, as the entire surviving Muslim population fled. Count Pedro de Meneses, who participated in the capture of the city, was appointed governor of Ceuta.

By order of the king, the Muslim mosque in Africa Square was destroyed and the Church of Our Lady of Africa was built in its place. Fortifications were hastily restored and modified to repel the constant attacks of Muslims, both from the sea and on land.

The population of Ceuta then amounted to 2500 inhabitants, it consisted of soldiers of the garrison, a small group of merchants, artisans and former prisoners brought in for construction.

The conquest of Ceuta was for the Portuguese, the beginning of a golden path, a further offensive crusade in the land of the Maghreb. In fact, from here began the era of the Portuguese great maritime discoveries.

Already by 1441, the Portuguese received the first caravan of ships with gold and African slaves. Despite the fact that the maintenance of Ceuta cost Portugal enormous efforts, the military expansion of the African territories was then the main line of the country's foreign policy. At the cost of huge efforts, after four unsuccessful attempts and the death of Prince Fernando, the Portuguese managed to take Tangier, August 29, 1471.

Two years later, after the death of the young Portuguese king Sebastian I (1578) during the next Moroccan campaign, the kingdom of Portugal was united with (1580), the Iberian Union was formed (1580-1640). From that moment on, it is generally accepted that Ceuta came under the jurisdiction of the Spanish crown. After the dissolution of the Iberian Union (1640), the governor of Ceuta, Don Francisco de Almeida, remained loyal to the Spanish monarch Philip IV.

Ceuta Spanish rule

The official incorporation of Ceuta into Spain took place in 1656. The city was given the title, Noble and Faithful. Following the change of the bishop, there was a change in the currency and the official language. Gradually, the inhabitants of Ceuta integrated into Spanish society, some families left the city forever.

The Moroccan rulers did not give up the hope of liberating Ceuta for a second. The city was constantly under a state of siege (1694, 1732, 1757, 1791), the longest (1694-1727) siege was undertaken by the second Sultan of Morocco, Moulay Ismail, it lasted more than 30 years, until his death. In addition to military clashes, the city survived two plagues in 1720-1721 and 1743-1744.

The first improvement in relations with Morocco occurred during the reign of Sultan Sidi Mohammed III bin Abdallah, through the conclusion of a peace treaty in 1767.

The bastions of Ceuta were traditionally used by the Spanish government as prisons for political prisoners who opposed the regime and for the freedom of the South American colonies.

The Ceuta garrison was one of the first to support the Madrid uprising against Joseph Bonaparte on May 2, 1808, and during the Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814), many representatives of the nobility and clergy of southern Spain took refuge here.

During the reign of Elizabeth II (1830-1904), the number of inhabitants of Ceuta increased to 10,000 inhabitants, the development of cultural infrastructure began, theaters and casinos were opened. The festivities in honor of Our Lady of Africa, Carnival, begin. Later, a bullring is being built (1918).

The end of the 19th century becomes the time for the construction of new fortifications Ceuta: Fortín de Benzú (1866-1881), Fortín de Aranguren (1865), Fortín de Isabel II (1865), Fortín de Francisco de Asís (1865), Fortín de Mendizabal (1865), Fortín Renegado (Tortuga) (1864) , Fortín de Anyera (1860), Fuerte del Príncipe Alfonso (1860), Fuerte del Serrallo (1860).

The next turbulent stage in the development of Ceuta began with the passive occupation of Tetouan and the announcement of the creation of a new Protectorate of Spain in Morocco. By 1920, the population of Ceuta increased to 50,000 people, due to the influx of labor.

The result of the economic recovery was the construction of the Tetouan-Ceuta railway line, the bus station, the central market, the expansion of the port, housing construction, the improvement of urban infrastructure, and the increase in the size of the garrison.

After the establishment of the dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera (1923-1930), the idea of ​​exchanging Ceuta for Gibraltar was put forward, however, this idea was not destined to materialize. After the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic, at the Congress of Ceuta and Melilla (1935), Ceuta was declared the political center of the new Protectorate.

During the military uprising of 1936, Ceuta, without resistance, went over to the side of General Franco on July 18 and until the declaration of independence of Morocco (1956), the economy of Ceuta remained closely connected with the Protectorate. The change in the political situation of the region brought a restriction on fishing in the territorial waters of Northern Africa, this negatively affected the state of the fishing industry in Ceuta. The closing of the Gibraltar Gate (1969) led to a change in Ceuta's tax policy regarding the sale of imported goods. The influx of visitors from Algeciras prompted the opening of a direct Ceuta-Algeciras ferry service.

With the death of Franco (1975), the Spanish monarchy is restored, King Juan Carlos I ascends the throne (1978). Spain's accession to the World Trade Organization and the opening of Gibraltar had a negative impact on the economy of Ceuta. Spain's membership in the EU (1986) provided the city government of Ceuta with additional funding for some projects, which significantly transformed the city's appearance.

Since 1995, Ceuta has been an Autonomous City with its own Charter and legislation, administrative and judicial system. Ceuta has its own armed forces, regular troops, legion and navy.

Actually, the next round of my negotiations on tickets and the possibility of a trip to Moroccan Tangier began in the port.
I crossed the embankment and here it is the port. I ask where the ferry boarding takes place, I walk to one of the large buildings. Approaching the entrance to one of the buildings, I notice a large number of ticket kiosks. I went into the building - and there was a whole anthill of dark-skinned Moroccans. Noticeably small number of tourists. Long rows of stalls are hung with standard signs - Ceuta-Tanger.
Communication with most sellers ends very quickly "But ingles." And those who understand something immediately lose interest in me when they find out that I have already bought a ticket and I just want to "learn something."

In one of the kiosks I found an advertising brochure calling for excursion Algeciras-Ceuta-Tanger and back during the day. The ferry sails to Ceuta, from there tourists travel by bus to the border, then to Moroccan Tangier. Along the route, they also visit the city of Tetouan.

Round trip ferry, bus transfers, lunch in Morocco and a tour cost a total of 51 Euros. When I see such a price "disgrace" (remember the original price for a one-way ferry to Ceuta for 48 Euros), I begin to ask more actively about such an excursion - who organizes it?, when do they sail?, where to buy tickets?, can I return my ticket?, do I need a visa to Morocco for citizens of Ukraine?. In general, there are too many questions for the Spaniards, who "niht fershtein" my "ingles" mov. Having not received any intelligible answers from the Spanish-speaking Spaniards, I decided not to twitch, but to calmly swim to Ceuta, and there on the spot to resolve the issue with the possibility of a trip to Morocco (either to Tangier, or to Tetouan).

Ferry to Ceuta.
30 minutes before the departure of the ferry, I began to look for a "path-road" to this ferry. I will not describe the complexity of mutual understanding (or rather misunderstanding), but after IUH-minutes I found a sign leading to the ferry. After standing in a long line of a motley audience of future sailors, I went up to a nice girl who was checking tickets. Her question "Passport" did not cause me excitement. Until I realized that there was no passport! Stepping aside, I made an audit in my backpack - no passport! But the idea that he should not disappear anywhere makes you look in all the cracks of the backpack. Fortunately, in a niche for storing backpack straps, both a passport and ... $ 20 stash from the last trip to Honduras were found. My happiness knew no bounds!

Passport check, wooden ladder on the ferry, the smell of fuel oil from the engine, long rows of seats in the large room-cabin of the ferry, the way to the bow (front of the ferry). That's it, I chose a place closer to the windows, but also near the only outlet on the wall.

Settled in comfortable chairs on the ferry, I looked at the Moroccan "Bedouins" with interest, and they looked at me.
Having sailed from the shore, literally immediately the eye is attracted by the bulk of Gibraltar, clearly visible on the other side of the Gulf of Gibraltar. In the rays of the sun, it looks like some kind of three-peak volcanic creature. But, as I already know, there is no crater on top of Gibraltar. But there are monkeys!

Unfortunately, it is impossible to go on deck for better photography, and there is no deck as such on the ferry. However, on some advertising booklets, I saw smiling passengers waving their hands to the photographer. Perhaps some types of ferries have some similarity observation deck where you can breathe in the sea air. In the meantime - be kind enough to sit inside the ferry and admire the scenery through the glass. Which is what I did.

There were a lot of empty seats in the passenger part of the ferry, and ... they could put sofas for those who wish to sleep. The traditional ritual of recharging a laptop, mobile phone and a camera (I knew that the battery might not last until the evening). The photo below shows the incorrect location of the laptop near the outlet (before that, it was on a chair rented from the bar counter). Children running along the aisles evoked in me not only a feeling of tenderness, but also a feeling of fear for the laptop and mobile phone that lay in the way of their migration processes. But, everything worked out.

Ceuta.
After 40 minutes of sailing, we arrived at the port of Ceuta and promptly disembarked ashore. I must say that most of the passengers very quickly disappeared somewhere, and I, in my "pure" Spanish, began to search for a tourist information desk. We must pay tribute to the leadership of the Ceuta Tourism Bureau - their counter in the port building is hard to miss. After talking about what is interesting in the city, where are the bus stops, where is the border with Morocco, how you can get into Morocco, etc. I learned that a trip to Morocco without a visa may "not work out." Like, sometimes you can "slip" along with the locals, but the official procedure requires a visa (for citizens of Ukraine).

Encouraged by the fact that I'm in Africa, moving towards historical center of the city and seeing the first automobile sign with the name of the city, he captured himself well against its background.

The coastal zone of Ceuta is indented with harbors in which many ships, yachts and boats are "parked". In the distance you can see a hill on which the main "base of torpedo boats" is located - military base, which, it seems, is leased from the US Navy (later I will clarify and amend this text). The entrance to the territory of that base is closed - you can go around it - along the coastline. It is visible on the hill in the photo below.

Immediately from the harbor, the road leads to the city gates, located near the walls of the fortress. The Spanish flag proudly flies on the ramparts. I must say that Ceuta went to the Spaniards "by inheritance" - from the Portuguese, who conquered it in 1415 from the Moors. But later the city came under the Spanish crown, when Portugal came under Spanish rule (Spain-Portugal relations in the Middle Ages are a separate interesting story). And when Portugal became an independent country again, Ceuta chose to remain under the Spanish flag. Which still rises on the fortress wall (see below).

Having specified where the museum is located in the fortress, I delirium under scorching sun to him.
Like ours, on the way to the fort you can see "cafe-restaurants" that exploit the love of tourists for historical places. I proudly pass by and fall on large area inside the fortress. I specify where the museum itself is. Not far from the entrance.

What bliss in this heat to go into a cool museum room

Minutes for 20-Th I examined the exposure. Unfortunately, all information is in Spanish - there is no museum guide. A tour in English for one person cannot be ordered (if I correctly understood the answers of the museum staff). From them I learned that the city historical Museum is not far (by the standards of Ceuta), but you need to hurry, because. closes at 13:00. There were 40 minutes left until this moment and I set out on my way. Viewing and photographing the city along the way.

Military commandant's office of Ceuta- everything is decorous, noble, in the colonial style. To the left of the entrance is a monument to a soldier (not visible in the photo). And yes, there is a palm tree in front of the entrance.

One of the central streets of Ceuta. Strange, but in this place it looks deserted, despite the fact that during my walk along it, there was no feeling of loneliness. The point, probably, is that all people "wander" along the street in the shadow of the facades - it is clearly seen that all the houses on this street have a kind of canopy (I don't know what it's called from the point of view of architecture). It is under these canopies that people move, escaping from the scorching rays of the sun.

The streets in the city are not very wide. Only the port area is freely located on large expanses. As a result, people sometimes park in the city in the same way as in Paris - nose to nose.

African siesta
Spain, it is Spain in Africa. This is confirmed in Ceuta by the fact that the external manifestation of the siesta (lunch time) is evident here as well. Most shops close for lunch at 13:00. Enviable organization touches when you see the simultaneous closing of doors and the lowering of protective shutters. However, some shops are still open. The doors of a few cafes are also open - after all, the city was designed as a military base, and not a tourist center. But, there is no shortage of cafe-restaurants - there is simply no large flow of tourists. And the locals probably know where and how to eat :-)

By the way, many museums here are open from 9:00 to 13:00, and then from 17:00 to 20:00. Here's your resort break for lunch!

Having visited another place of interest, the excavation site over the ancient temple of the IUH-th century before or after our era, I decided to move to the beach, because. the midday sun was pretty hot. Having asked the local machos where the locals actually swim, I received a detailed answer. The most helpful thing in their answer was the direction with my hand where I should go. I didn't know how to ask about the beaches in Spanish, but my swimmer-like movements were correctly understood and, I hoped, I was pointed in the right direction. Taught by the experience of the previous tips of "local" geographers, I checked their advice with a map of the city (I conducted a reconnaissance on the ground) and set off. Judging by the map, it was no more than 500 meters to the shore. But among the narrow streets, the presence of the sea was not yet felt.

Beach
Passing through the narrow streets, I came to the track that runs along the coast. Traditional photo on the background of the coast. In the foreground is the city beach. A little later, I was already splashing in the Mediterranean Sea, cooling down from the effects of high temperatures. The mountains of Morocco are visible in the background.

On the way to the beach I noticed interesting monument- a soldier and a sheep. To be honest, there was no one to ask what role the sheep played in the liberation or defense of Ceuta, but I do not exclude that it was the same as the geese in ancient Rome.

The beach runs along the promenade - they go down to it along the stairs going right to the sand. Pleasantly pleasing to the eye is the location of the beach just 100 meters from the temple. And it does not please the eye that there are not so many naked girls on the beach in Ceuta. And yes, they are kinda cute :-)

After "water procedures" I headed back to the fortress separating this part of Ceuta from the port. My goal is the road to Morocco. There is a regular bus going to the checkpoint. On the way to it, I walked along the fortress walls, gave a lecture to local boys about the potential danger of swinging on ancient cannons, took a couple of photos in the format "I was here" and ... here it is, a bus stop standing in the shade of trees. While waiting for the bus, I decided to capture a monument to some "Don Pedro". Where he points... I don't know, but the road "to Morocco" is the other way!

Walking along the city streets, I look with interest at city buildings and residential areas.
As you move away from the center, the fashionable office buildings of the central part of the city are replaced ... not by slums, but, let's say, "khrushchev". This is how the average residents of Ceuta live - decorating their homes with washed linen. Such landscapes are already familiar to me from a visit to Gibraltar.

Trip to Morocco.
Having reached the border by bus, specifying that it runs until late in the evening, I advanced to the checkpoint.

The starting point of my "march" in Morocco. Cars enter the checkpoint and move in a narrow line to three checkpoints. And ordinary Moroccan citizens stomp along the wall to their home through a barred labyrinth (so that they don’t run away, I guess). Realizing that I was not on my way with cars, and the passage for EU residents was not for me either, I joined the Bedouins and wandered along a narrow corridor along the wall.

Briefly - I was stopped at the very last checkpoint. One more step and I'd be out of the checkpoint.

But I went through 2 posts without problems (I just walked along with a string of local residents along the Wailing Wall). And now, already at the exit from the border zone, one of the sleepy border guards nevertheless asked, "What is a citizen in a red T-shirt with the coat of arms of the USSR doing in Morocco ??" My claims that UA is almost the same as UK did not work. Persuasion, assurances about "peace-friendship-corn" also did not have the proper effect on the border guard.
As a result, having "sent" him in the direction of the "urological department", I went to "swing rights" to the checkpoint building. And although some Moroccan officers tried to help me, but the head of the border checkpoint, to which I still made my way to the reception, remained adamant - citizens of Ukraine need a visa to Morocco!

Nothing, next time you need to dress less provocatively and wrap yourself in some kind of bathrobe for a successful border crossing in Morocco :-)

On the way back to Ceuta, the Spanish border guards took a long time to figure out why I was going back from Morocco, but I do not have a stamp that I was in Morocco. Having explained to them on my fingers that I definitely hadn’t been to Morocco and I want to “go home”, to Spain (here, they say, return ticket by ferry), I was allowed into the territory of "African" Europe.

Sadly, I took another photo of the Moroccan flag, and wandered to the bus that runs between the checkpoint and the city center.

I won’t write about the inspection “with predilection” for taking a photo of the Moroccan checkpoint - nothing interesting

But, I remind you - you should not take photos of the Moroccan border guards and the checkpoint itself! (I read later about the misadventures of foreigners in Moroccan prisons - nothing good). I still have one photo...

I returned to the city and decided to wander through the streets, waiting for the ferry to Spain.
Accidentally became a "witness" of the wedding ceremony in the central temple. I don’t know why the groom chose such a bride for himself, but I liked the witness (in a red dress) more :-)

One of the farewell photos of Ceuta is a view of the port and the fortress on the mountain (far, the one that is more modern).

Having bought yogurts and peaches for the road, I safely crossed the Strait of Gibraltar by ferry. By the way, I experienced great pleasure when the ferry "jumped" over the waves, which seemed to be not big (about 1 meter), but noticeably threw up a high-speed ferry. Many tourists gasped, gasped, shouted to the beat of the pitching, when the ferry "failed" from the crest of the next wave.

And here they are, the "native" palm trees of Algeciras. And Moroccan residents under the palm trees, waiting for the next ferry to their homeland.

At the exit from the port, I noticed a large crowd of people and ... police. I immediately remembered that in the morning the policeman explained something to me about the carnival festival, which would be on the embankment in the evening. So I got to the festive carnival, which converged on the waterfront a large number of residents of Algeciras. But that's a different story...

Continuation travel notes about traveling in Spain and

Ceuta (Spanish Ceuta)- a small semi-enclave in the northern Moroccan coast, right opposite Gibraltar which belongs to Spain.

Ceuta- once an impregnable seaside fortress, and now a small one, consisting of a small semi-island in the Strait of Gibraltar with a nine-kilometer coastline, about two kilometers wide, separated from the Kingdom of Morocco by a double border wall over three meters high, which Spain has owned since 1580. Ceuta has the status of an autonomous region of Spain in northern Africa.

The origin of the name Ceuta may go back to the name given by the Romans to the seven mountains of the region (Septem Fratres - "Seven Brothers"). Septem-Septa-Ceita-Ceuta. Throughout history, Ceuta has been successively conquered by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Punas, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantines and Muslims, being, at least since the 13th century, in the sphere of the expansionist plans of Castile, whose first steps date back to the reign of Fernando III Saint.

Area - 18.5 km, population - 75 thousand people. The enclave is separated from Morocco by the border wall of Ceuta. In addition to the Spaniards, people of Arab, Chinese, Indian and Jewish origin live in the city. Languages: official language is Spanish. The Maghreb population also uses Arabic. The climate is subtropical and Mediterranean.

The exoticism of the eastern city is manifested in the ancient mosques of Ceuta, Arab baths and bustling bazaars with a large selection of Moroccan fabrics and jewelry, although it is still more of a Catholic settlement with many elegant temples.

Getting to the city is quite simple: every hour a ferry departs from the Algeciras sea station towards Ceuta, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in just 40 minutes. Having made a short sea voyage and enjoying great views African coast, the sound of waves and the cry of seagulls, you will find yourself in a wonderful Spanish town with magnificent architecture, powerful defensive walls and a large trading port, which is the main component of the Ceuta economy.

Of course, do not forget about the wonderful beaches of Ceuta with white sand and crystal clear water. Choosing the best excursion tours to Spain, you will get incredible pleasure from relaxing on the sea coast, practicing water sports and diving to the seabed, striking in its beauty and abundance of underwater inhabitants.

Attractions in Ceuta:

Sanctuary and Church of Saint Mary of Africa. (XV century)

Municipal Palace (1926)

Church of St. Francis

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

Mediterranean Marine Park

Arab baths

Grand Casino

Beth El Synagogue

Edificio Trujillo

House of Dragons

Monument to the Fallen in the African War. Located on the Plaza of Africa (Plaza de Africa). Dedicated to the fallen in the war of 1858-60. The height is 13.5 meters, on the lower part there is an interesting bronze bas-relief made by the sculptor Sushino. There is a crypt nearby.

Colonel Ruiz Square (Plaza del Teniente Ruiz). One of the most beautiful corners of the city, located on Calle Real (Royal Street). Built in honor of Ceuta hero Jacinto Ruiz Mendoza, one of the heroes of the War of Independence.

Other attractions located on the outskirts:

Fortress of Monte Acho. Located on the mountain of the same name, the first fortifications were built by the Byzantines and combined into a single defensive system in the Umayyad era. The fortress acquired its present form in the 18-19 centuries.

Mosque of Sidi Embarek