Colonialism and Contemporary Commemoration in Rabat

In the history of urban planning in Rabat, Morocco, the force most often referred to is the French Protectorate period, effectively driven by a single person: Hubert Lyautey. His vision and will to produce a particular form of city has been widely recognized and accepted as fundamental to how urban space is configured in Rabat and in Morocco more broadly. Yet contemporary Rabat has undergone significant transformations, which both preserve and minimize his legacy. This entry considers two pivotal moments from an urban planning and development perspective in Rabat’s history. First, it details the highly symbolic moment of the Protectorate period and the ideology of preservation through association created by Lyautey to generate “Rabat la charmante.” Then, it turns to the current moment of urban renovation, propelled by Rabat’s designation as a “capital of culture” and a UNESCO World Heritage site—that of “Rabat, City of Lights.” Through its streets, renovations, expansions, and monuments, Rabat provides avenues for reflection on representation and reappropriation of the built environment in a postcolonial context.

Publication details: Wagner, L., Rahmi, A. (2025). Colonialism and Contemporary Commemoration in Rabat. In: Saloul, I., Baillie, B. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61493-5_303-1