Rabat, a Cultural Capital: Assessing the City’s Infrastructure for Cultural Vocation

The study examines the cultural infrastructure of Rabat, the capital of Morocco, focusing on assessing its adequacy in fulfilling its cultural objectives. Thanks to its diverse cultural heritage, the city of Rabat aspires to transform into a flourishing cultural hub reflecting its historical roots while embracing contemporary progress. However, the extent to which Rabat’s cultural infrastructure fulfils its cultural aspirations remains to be determined. This study examines the diversity, availability, and dispersion of cultural facilities in Rabat. The research employs a quantitative approach to ascertain the accessibility of cultural amenities in proportion to the city’s population by computing the ratio of inhabitants per equipment and comparing it to that of other cities known for their thriving cultural scenes in developing countries. This study demonstrates the efficacy and deficiencies of Rabat’s cultural infrastructure, providing insights into its capacity to support its cultural aspiration to foster a vibrant cultural environment. The study’s findings suggest that Rabat presents substantial room for enhancement of its cultural infrastructure to improve its attractiveness and competitiveness internationally as a cultural city. The findings are also expected to initiate fresh discussions on cultural policy, urban planning, and the conservation of Rabat’s and other similar towns’ abundant cultural heritage.