Casablanca (Morocco)

Casablanca (Arabic: الدار البيضاء) is the largest city in Morocco and the country’s economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic coast of the Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a population of about 3.22 million in the urban area, and over 4.27 million in Greater Casablanca, making it the most populous city in the Maghreb region, and the ninth-largest in the Arab world. Casablanca is Morocco’s chief port, with the Port of Casablanca being one of the largest artificial ports in Africa, and the third-largest port in North Africa, after Tanger-Med (40 km or 25 mi east of Tangier) and Port Said. It also hosts the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy. Casablanca is a significant financial centre, ranking 54th globally in the September 2023 Global Financial Centres Index rankings, between Brussels and Rome. The Casablanca Stock Exchange is Africa’s third-largest in terms of market capitalization, as of December 2022. Major Moroccan companies and many of the largest American and European companies operating in the country have their headquarters and main industrial facilities in Casablanca. Recent industrial statistics show that Casablanca is the main industrial zone in the country. History Early history The area of present-day Casablanca was founded by Berbers in the 7th century BC and later used as a port by Phoenicians and Romans. Known as Anfa, it became a prosperous city in the Berber kingdom of Barghawata from 744 AD, praised by Leo Africanus for its fertile land. Under the Merinids in the 14th century, Anfa grew as a key port. The last Merinids were overthrown by a popular revolt in 1465. Portuguese conquest and Spanish influence In the early 15th century, the town of Anfa became an independent state and a safe harbor for pirates. As a result, the Portuguese bombarded it into ruins in 1468. The town that later grew around the site was named Casa Branca, meaning “white house” in Portuguese. Between 1756 and 1790, Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah rebuilt the town and constructed its port. He renamed it ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ, the Arabic translation of the Portuguese Casa Branca. This name eventually evolved into Casablanca. Thus, the modern city traces its name and reconstruction to this 18th-century Alaouite sultan, following Portuguese destruction in the late 15th century. Colonial struggle In the 19th century, Casablanca’s population grew as it became a major wool supplier to Britain’s textile industry, with British gunpowder tea arriving in return for Morocco’s mint tea. The population rose from 5,000 in the 1860s to 10,000 by the late 1880s, and reached around 12,000 by 1906. The 1906 Treaty of Algeciras formalized French preeminence in Morocco. Three measures directly impacted Casablanca: French control of customs revenue, French development of the port, and a French-Spanish police force. In June 1907, narrow-gauge track was laid for a locomotive to connect the port to a quarry, passing through a sacred graveyard. In resistance, Chaouia tribesmen attacked the train, killing nine laborers. As a response, the French bombarded Casablanca in August 1907 with gunboats and landed troops, causing severe damage and killing between 600 and 3,000 Moroccans. After the bombardment, European homes and the Mellah (Jewish quarter) were sacked, with the latter set ablaze. Along with the earlier occupation of Oujda, this opened a western front to the French military conquest of Morocco. French protectorate of Morocco French control of Casablanca was formalized in March 1912 by the Treaty of Fez, establishing the French Protectorate. Under French rule, power shifted to coastal areas: Rabat became the administrative capital and Casablanca the economic capital. Europeans formed nearly half the city’s population. A 1937–1938 typhoid outbreak was exploited by colonial authorities to displace Moroccans from informal housing to areas like Carrières Centrales. After France’s armistice with Nazi Germany, French colonists generally supported Pétain while Moroccans favored de Gaulle and the Allies. Operation Torch began on 8 November 1942: the American-led Western Task Force invaded Mehdia, Fedhala, and Asfi. American forces captured Casablanca on 11 November, though the Naval Battle of Casablanca continued until 16 November. Casablanca hosted the Anfa Conference in January 1943, where Churchill and Roosevelt adopted the “unconditional surrender” doctrine. Roosevelt also privately met Sultan Muhammad V, expressing support for Moroccan independence after the war. This became a turning point, emboldening Moroccan nationalists to openly seek complete independence. Toward independence During the 1940s and 1950s, Casablanca became a major center of anti-French rioting. On 7 April 1947, as Sultan Muhammed V prepared to give a speech in Tangier appealing for independence, Senegalese Tirailleurs serving the French colonial army massacred working-class Moroccans in Casablanca. Further riots erupted on 7–8 December 1952 in response to the assassination of Tunisian labor unionist Farhat Hached by La Main Rouge, the clandestine militant wing of French intelligence. On 25 December 1953 (Christmas Day), Muhammad Zarqtuni orchestrated a bombing of Casablanca’s Central Market. This attack was in retaliation for the forced exile of Sultan Muhammad V and the royal family on 20 August of that year, which coincided with Eid al-Adha. These events marked escalating Moroccan resistance to French colonial rule, with Casablanca at the forefront of the independence struggle. Since independence Morocco gained independence from France in 1956. The post-independence era brought urban transformations and socio-economic shifts. From 4–7 January 1961, Casablanca hosted the Casablanca Conference of progressive African leaders, including Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah, Modibo Keïta, and Ahmed Sékou Touré, received by King Muhammad V. The city was also a major departure point for Jews leaving Morocco through Cadima (1949–1956) and Operation Yachin (1961–1964). On 22 March 1965, student protests began outside Lycée Mohammed V, demanding public higher education. The movement spread nationwide and devolved into riots, involving laborers and the unemployed. Security forces violently repressed the unrest with tanks and armored vehicles. Moroccan authorities reported a dozen deaths, while the UNFP claimed over 1,000. Interior Minister Mohamed Oufkir directed the suppression, personally machine-gunning rioters from a helicopter. King Hassan II blamed teachers and parents, declaring that “there is no greater danger to the State than a so-called intellectual. It would have been better if you were all illiterate.” On 6 June 1981, the Casablanca Bread Riots erupted after price hikes on necessities following a severe drought. Hassan II appointed hardliner Driss Basri to quell the protests. The government reported 66 killed and 100 injured, while opposition leaders put the death toll at 637. Further history On 16 May 2003, Casablanca was hit by a multiple suicide bomb attack that killed 33 civilians and injured over 100 people. Twelve suicide bombers struck five locations across the city in an attack claimed by some to be linked to al-Qaeda. Another series of suicide bombings struck the city in early 2007. These events highlighted persistent challenges in addressing poverty and integrating disadvantaged neighborhoods. One initiative to improve conditions was the creation of the Sidi Moumen Cultural Center. On 1 November 2023, Casablanca, along with Ouarzazate, joined UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, recognizing the city’s cultural and creative contributions. Best attractions (10) Hassan II Mosque The Hassan II Mosque is the second largest mosque in Africa and one of the largest mosques in the world. Its minaret is the world’s second tallest minaret at 210 metres (689 ft). Completed in 1993, it was designed by Michel Pinseau under the guidance of King Hassan II and built by Moroccan artisans from all over the kingdom. The minaret is 60 stories high, topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer. Casablanca Cathedral The Cathédrale de Casablanca (Arabic: كاتدرائية الدار البيضاء), or Church of the Sacred Heart, is a former church located west of the Arab League Park. It was constructed in 1930. The former church ceased its religious function in 1956, after the independence of Morocco. It subsequently became a cultural centre which is open to visitors. It has hosted numerous art exhibitions. El Hank lighthouse The El Hank lighthouse is managed by the Port and Maritime Authority within the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water. This lighthouse, which bears the name of the point where it was built, is the tallest lighthouse in Morocco. It was restored by the French architect Albert Laprade who redesigned the ridge and landscaped its surroundings in 1916. It came into operation in 1920 and helped the development of the city of Casablanca, as it facilitated access to the port, which was previously considered dangerous. The lighthouse of El Hank is 51 m high (with a base of 6.60 m) and has a diameter of 39 m at its base. Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church The Église Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes de Casablanca is a Roman Catholic church in modernist style. It was built in 1954 by architect Achille Dangleterre and engineer Gaston Zimmer. Arab League Park The Arab League Park is an urban park located in the center of the city, west of Hassan II Boulevard. The park covers 30 acres of land, and is bisected by Moulay Youssef Boulevard. Mahkamat al-Pasha The Mahkama du Pacha is an administrative building constructed 1941-1942 in the Hubous neighborhood. The complex serves or has served as a courthouse, residence of the pasha (governor), parliamentary reception hall, and jail. The construction of the courthouse was carried out during World War II, when French authorities usurped most modern building materials in their colonies, such as steel and cement, for the war effort. The complex is characterized by traditional Mauro-Andalusi architectural features: zeleej, stucco work, carved cedar wood, and green-tiled roofs. Hassan II Mosque Foundation Media Library The spacious 200-seat auditorium is suitable for conferences, talks with artists, and various cultural events. The exhibition hall serves as a venue for thematic exhibitions organized throughout the year. It is located near Hassan II mosque. Al-Mohammadi Mosque Al-Mohammadi Mosque It was built circa 1935 and its construction was sponsored by Sultan Mohammed V, after whom it is named. The building covers an area of around 3,600 m² and it can accommodate up to 6000 or 8000 worshippers. Its design references traditional Moroccan Islamic architecture; the minaret is modeled on the minaret of the Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakesh and the courtyard is modeled on the Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fes. Mohammed V Square Mohammed V Square is a public square of historical and symbolic significance located in central Casablanca. It was established in 1916 at the beginning of the French protectorate in Morocco under Resident-general Hubert Lyautey, on a design by architects Henri Prost and Joseph Marrast. The square is also known popularly as “Pigeons’ Square” due to the heavy presence of those birds. It used to be known by different names such as Main Square, Victory Square, Administrative Square, and Marshal Lyautey Square. United Nations Square The area outside the walls of the old medina that is now United Nations Square, used to be the location of the Souq Kbir, also referred to as le Grand Socco, before French colonization. In 1908, after the French bombardment and invasion of Casablanca, the French commander Charles Martial Joseph Dessigny ordered the construction of a clock tower in the area, which then took the name, Place de l’Horloge, “Square of the Clock”. The square was then named Place de France, “Square of France,” and the surrounding area was developed by a team of French architects and urban planners chosen by the French Résident général Hubert Lyautey and led by Henri Prost. Transport The Casablanca Tramway is the rapid transit tram system in Casablanca. As of 2024, the network consists of four lines covering 74 km (46 mi), with 110 stops. Casablanca has also implemented a rapid bus transit system known as the Casablanca Busway, a high-level bus network serving the city. As of 2024, the network consists of two lines, BW1 and BW2. Railway The Casa-Voyageurs Railway Station is an ONCF (Moroccan National Railway) station in the Belvedere neighborhood of Casablanca. The station is served by suburban and long-distance trains. It is Casablanca’s principal station. From Casa Voyageurs direct services are available to and from: Marrakesh (Southern direction) Rabat and Tangier (Northern direction) Rabat, Meknes, Fez, and Taourirt (Eastern direction) shuttles to Mohammed V International Airport Airport Mohammed V International Airport (IATA: CMN, ICAO: GMMN) is an international airport located in Nouaceur Province. With about 7.6 million passengers passing through the airport in 2022, it was the busiest airport in Morocco and in the top 10 of busiest airports in Africa. Passenger traffic in 2022 had recovered to 74% of the total pre-pandemic numbers of 2019. The airport serves as hub for Royal Air Maroc, Royal Air Maroc Express and Air Arabia Maroc. The airport is named after King Mohammed V of Morocco. Main information Region: Casablanca-Settat Area: 380 km² Coordinates: 33°35’33.6″N 7°37’07.0″W Languages: Arabic, Berber, French Population: 3,218,036 Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD) Visa: Moroccan Time: UTC+1 (CET) See also Catalonia travel guide See also Pyrenees travel guide See also France travel guide See also Spain travel guideThe post Casablanca (Morocco) first appeared on All PYRENEES.