title: Grand Socco
text: # Grand Socco
  
  The Grand Socco (Moroccan Arabic: سوق برا), officially the Place du 9 Avril 1947, is a historic quasi-circular roundabout square separating the old medina from newer developments in downtown Tangier, Morocco.
  
  ## Overview
  
  The term socco is a Spanish corruption of the Arabic souk or souq. The Grand Socco is surrounded by a mosque, a few shops, several banks, half a dozen modest restaurants with covered outdoor seating areas, several cafés, the Cinema Rif, an Amendis office and a pharmacy. On one side is the arch entrance to Mendoubia Gardens and another arch leads to the Rue de la Kasbah, also known as Rue d'Italie.
  
  In the mid-1950s many large trees were cut down in the round central outdoor market. Currently, the Grand Socco has a large marble fountain in the center, surrounded by tall palm trees and small flower gardens with a dozen benches for people to sit and relax.
  
  The square underwent further development in 2005.
  
  