Idea #213 – Visit the Medina of Essaouira
Essaouira is a harbour city of Morocco, situated on the Atlantic Coast. She is called Mogdura in Portuguese, and “Mogador” in French. It was nicknamed for a long time the ” port of Timbuktoo “, because 40 % of the commercial traffic of sub-Saharan Africa was ralized there. A first counter is attested from the middle of the VIIth century before J.C., constituting the most Southern at present identified phoenician position. In the XIVth century, the Portuguese strengthens the commercial activity of the site and in 1506 build a small port and ramparts there. In 1764, sultan Mohammed ben Abdellah settled to Essaouira a naval base, and called on to Théodore Cornut, French architect, follower of Vauban. For three years, he worked to build the port and the kasbah, the original plan of which is preserved. The city, in the regular plan, received then the nickname of Es Saouira, ” Well Drawn “. Resting ramparts, we can observe also again Sqala de la Kasbah, old battery where some guns from the Spanish artillery are aligned. Mogador is bombarded and taken on August 15th, 1844 by the French. The medina is registered on the UNESCO world heritage.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Essaouira, Morocco.
Larger Map