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Casablanca guide
The coastal town of Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city – and also one of the largest on the African continent. It is located west of the country on the Atlantic Ocean, and forms a separate province. The population is about 3 million (2010).
Casablanca is the major commercial, industrial and port city in Morocco.Whole quarters of the country’s foreign trade passes Casablanca harbor. The city is also the center of the country’s rail network, with links to all the other cities in Morocco.
Casablanca was built in 1515 by the Portuguese – and was then called Casa Branca. In 1755, an outbreak of a devastating earthquake that almost destroyed it, but it was rebuilt by a powerful, Moroccan sultan. In 1907 Casablanca occupied by the French in 1907, and in the period 1912-1956 was the subject French protectorate.
Among the sights of Casablanca we find several mosques, including the highly ornate Hassan II Mosque, one of the world’s largest.
Casablanca is full of contradictions. Congestion, pollution and social problems characterize parts of the city, but in parallel with this, we find elegant, wide boulevards, manicured gardens, fountains and beautiful colonial buildings. The architecture consists otherwise of a mixture of French and Moroccan tradition – often called “Mauresque” style. It is heavily influenced by 1930s Art Deco. The city’s social life is contradictory. Here you can both meet a vibrant nightlife with restaurants, bars and clubs as well as people with a more traditional Muslim way of life.
The heart is the Place Mohammed V, which is surrounded by a number of large buildings with decorative facades. Most are built in the early part of the 1900s, and many of them are nicely refurbished. In other parts of the city dominated by a more modernist architecture. All this stands in sharp contrast to the drab slums on the outskirts of the city.
If you want an idea of Casablanca before the French occupation, one should visit the medina – the oldest district. It has, however, not the medieval medina characterized as in many other Moroccan cities, since most of the buildings erected in the 1800s. The streets, however, traditionally narrow, and the range of products in the small bazaars are great.
On the north of Medina remains of Casablanca’s fortifications from the 1700s. There is not much left of the castle, but the view over the city and the sea is impressive in return.
For families with children is Yasmine Amusement Park a popular destination. It is located in the western part of the city.
The nearest airport is Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, located 30 miles southeast of downtown.