Capital of the Spanish protectorate

In 1912, Tetouan became the capital of the Spanish protectorate in northern Morocco. This period profoundly transformed the city: construction of the ensanche with boulevards, squares, and Art Deco architecture, creation of cultural institutions like the School of Fine Arts, Morocco's oldest. The Plaza de España (now Place Moulay El Mehdi), the church, and the Khalifa's Palace became symbols of this era.