Visit Essaouira

In the 18th century, in order to protect the city of Essaouira, Sultan Mohammed ben Abdellah called on Théodore Cornut, a French architect who was a student of Vauban, to build ramparts. It took 3 years to build the squala of the kasbah (medina) and the sqala of the port. Bronze cannons, bearing Portuguese or Spanish coats of arms are between each crenel of the two sqalas.

The sqala of the kasbah surrounds the medina, 200m ramparts that overlook the ocean.

The sqala of the port is composed of two wings, one can access the first by a staircase behind the door of the navy, the access is paying. The second is located above the shops of the port.

The sqalas offer us a breathtaking view of the ocean and the Purpuraires islands.

The port of Essaouira is the third most important sardine port in Morocco. It is picturesque and it is good to linger there to admire the incessant ballet of boats entering and leaving the port, unloading their cargo of fish, sardines, sea bream, hake, sars, mullets, swordfish, sole, sea bream, ombrine, sharks, that fishermen market locally. It is also an important shipyard for traditional wooden trawlers.

The Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah museum is located rue Laalouj a few hundred meters from the French Institute. The house where he lives is an old 19th century building, which was the town hall under the protectorate, after independence it was the seat of municipal services and it was in 1980 that it was chosen to house the city museum. and the Province of Essaouira.

You can admire various collections, jewelry, weapons, costumes, coins.

Catholic Church of the city of Essaouira located in the new city outside the medina, the Church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption was built by Spanish priests in 1936. It succeeds the old Portuguese church located in the medina .

It is located 200m from the beach, behind the hotel Le Médina. It is one of the few churches in Morocco that rings its bells on Sundays. Father Jean Claude officiates mass there every Sunday at 10am.

The Simon Attias Synagogue was built in 1882, it is the most important and largest synagogue in Essaouira. In 2017 it was renovated to make it a place of culture and memory, renamed Bat Al Dakira, the House of Memory.

Today it is a unique cultural space in Morocco, a place of sharing open to all, which celebrates the common heritage between Jews and Muslims.

The Ben Youssef mosque is the largest mosque in Essaouira, with an area of 2000m².

It was built in the 18th century. Although non-Muslims cannot enter mosques in Morocco, the Ben Youssef mosque is very popular.