Casablanca, the "white city" is the largest city in Morocco, a huge port and, in fact, the second capital of the state. And the largest tourist center on the Atlantic coast in the country: there are several popular beach vacation spots around it. People come here for oriental flavor and interesting shopping, there are mosques, Catholic and Orthodox churches, oriental bazaars and French monuments - everyone will find something interesting for themselves.
Top 10 attractions in Casablanca
Hassan II Mosque
The Hassan II Mosque is the main and most beautiful mosque in Casablanca, located on the very shore of the Atlantic Ocean. It was built in 1993 by the French architect Michel Pinceau and became the largest mosque in the country. Its minaret is 210 meters high and can accommodate up to 25,000 people.
They tried to make this mosque a real national symbol: it is almost entirely built of stone quarried in Morocco. These are pink marble, onyx, multi-colored granite and other rocks. Only snow-white marble for the decoration of the columns was brought from Italy. Several thousand Moroccan artists worked on its decoration.
The peculiarity of the building is that it protrudes far into the water. The architect himself said that he was struck by the words of the Koran: "The Throne of Allah is on the water", and he tried to translate them into architecture. Ocean view opens directly from the prayer hall.
Lighthouse El Khank
The lighthouse at Cape El Hank is one of the symbols of Casablanca. It was built in 1914. This is a snow-white tower 50 meters high, to the top of which there are 256 steps. The entrance is paid, but if you wish, it is quite possible to climb.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the lighthouse was equipped with the newest and highest quality equipment. It has been in operation for 100 years and continues to work ever since. The light of this lighthouse is visible for 53 km. A funny feature is that on holidays Moroccans decorate their lighthouse by wrapping it in colorful strips of fabric.
From its top one can see the best views of the coast, the Hassan II Mosque and the fishing quarter with small, dough-set houses. The wide strip of beach in front of the lighthouse is actually a football field, which is very much loved by the locals.
Ensemble of Muhammad V Square
At the beginning of the 20th century, when it became clear that there was no more room for public buildings in the Old Town, the city was significantly expanded. It was then that the ensemble of this square began to take shape, which has now become the administrative center of Casablanca.
In 1916, the building of the French consulate appeared here, built by the architect A. Lapard. In 1922, the Palace of Justice was built - the Mahakma do Pasha Palace. It was created in the traditional Moroccan style, with the richest ornaments and interior decoration, and really looks more like a palace than just an administrative center. Now it is this building that attracts numerous tourists, and you can get inside with a guided tour or on days of open doors several times a year. In 1937, the Prefecture was built with a huge tower - its height is about 50 meters, and this tower is also marked in all guidebooks as one of the symbols of the city. And finally, in the center of the square rises a fountain built in 1976, around which huge flocks of pigeons usually fly.
The old medina of Casablanca
The old medina, the old market of Casablanca, is an area that has not changed much since the end of the 19th century. He was lucky - the French leadership decided not to rebuild the old historical center, but simply to move the city center to a new location. So now you can safely walk along the old narrow streets between buildings that are 200-300 years old. The quarter remains residential: it has not been licked for tourists, has not been restored for a long time, but it is here that you can feel the flavor of old Morocco.
The market itself operates here: they sell everything from fruits to leather goods. It is customary to bargain here - as a rule, there are no price tags, and you need to negotiate the cost with the seller. Be prepared that the initial price is always overpriced, and you are expected to try to knock it down. Noisy barkers, an abundance of exoticism, the opportunity to see with your own eyes the work of artisans - all this can be found in the old medina.
Museum of the Jewish Community of Morocco
The Jewish community in Morocco is already several thousand years old - Jewish merchants began to settle here in the 4th-3rd centuries AD. NS. In the Middle Ages, a huge wave of immigrants arrived here: when the Jews were expelled from Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century, many moved here with their families. Today, despite the fact that many have moved to Israel, there is a significant Jewish diaspora in Casablanca. Morocco is now the most friendly Islamic state to Israel, its authorities are doing a lot to preserve the Jewish heritage: ancient synagogues, cemeteries, etc.
The museum was opened in 1997. It has a media center where you can watch films about the history of Moroccan Jews, and the exposition itself consists of objects of worship and everyday life dating back to the 13th century. Jewish and Arab art have influenced each other here for centuries, and you can see their intertwining in the museum.
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
A huge Catholic cathedral, built in the 30s of the XX century by the French architect Paul Tournon. This architect was one of the first to use reinforced concrete structures, which made it possible to create truly huge and modern buildings. For example, he owns the famous church du Saint-Esprit in Paris.
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a grandiose neo-Gothic building with traditional Moroccan motives. It is often called the "cathedral", but this is not true, there has never been a bishop's see here, it is just that this temple is really striking in its scale. They served there until 1956, and after France recognized the independence of Morocco, divine services are no longer held. Now it is a cultural center, where concerts and exhibitions are held, so you can freely get inside. Stained glass windows and part of the decor have been preserved.
Abdurahman Slough Museum
A small private museum based on a collection of art collected by Moroccan businessman Abdurahman Slough. Basically, there are antiques of the XIX-XX centuries: a collection of old posters, French furniture in the art nouveau style, household items, engravings, knickknacks. There are permanent exhibitions, and there are also temporary exhibitions. The museum has a large collection of works by the most famous Moroccan artist of the 19th-20th centuries, Mohamed Ben Ali R'bati. They are very beautiful and interesting, as they combine classical European painting techniques with traditional Arab miniatures.
The museum occupies two floors, on the second there is a small cafe. Considering that there is no traditional local history museum in Casablanca, this particular museum is capable of replacing it.
Habus quarter
Habus is a quarter built by the French in 1910-30s during the expansion of the city. You must go here, because the real tourist center of Casablanca is right here. If in the old city it can be dirty and scary in the evenings, then here it is beautiful, bright and safe. The oriental flavor is completely preserved here, but it is preserved by the French-Europeans, so this is just what a tourist needs.
The houses are decorated with oriental ornaments, beautiful and perfectly clean, there are air conditioners in souvenir shops, narrow streets are adjacent to wide and green boulevards. There are several beautiful mosques here, also built by the French in the thirties, for example, Sultan Moulay Youssef bin Hasan.
Here is the New Medina, a new market - it is she who mainly attracts streams of people here. The market is divided into sections - somewhere they sell only spices, somewhere - olive oil, somewhere - ceramics, somewhere - camel sausage, but souvenirs - everywhere and at every step. Unlike the old town, where there are almost no restaurants, there are plenty of them here.
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Lourdes
The current Catholic cathedral was built from 1929 to 1953 according to the design of the French architect August Perret. This building is an example of how it is possible in cult architecture not to adhere to the traditional style, but to create something completely new. The temple combines elements of constructivism and neo-gothic style. The interior is also very unusual - constructivist columns look interesting against the background of bright stained-glass windows.
The cathedral was built in memory of the appearance of the Virgin in 1858 in the town of Lourdes. Now Lourdes is one of the most significant Catholic religious centers. And in this cathedral, the statue of the Virgin Mary standing in the courtyard reminds of the miraculous phenomenon. She is in a niche-cave, just as she once appeared to the French girl Bernadette Soubirous.
Aquapark "Tamaris"
The largest water park in Morocco is located 15 km from Casablanca, its area is more than 7 hectares. There are several different zones - children's (Twistie Paradis), extreme and family. All three zones are connected by a slow river that flows through the entire territory. There is a swimming pool with a real sandy beach.
In addition to water activities, there is a bowling alley, a large children's play center with a variety of entertainments, from an autodrome to board games. In the afternoon, children's animators usually work. It even has its own mini-zoo with elephants and three cafes with different cuisines: Italian, Moroccan and American.
All visitors note cleanliness and order here. European tourists try to get here in the month of Ramadan, when almost only foreigners come here, at other times, especially in the evenings, it can be quite crowded.
