Casablanca city in Morocco
Without the title of imperial city, Casablanca, whose reputation is not to be made, is nevertheless the economic capital of Morocco. In addition to being served by sea, rail and road, its airport is the main airport of the country connecting directly or via correspondence Morocco to the rest of the world.
Also being the main business headquarters in Morocco, Casablanca has become an often obligatory passage for a long or short stay.
In a Morocco that has also bet on tourism because of its natural sites, its climate and its proximity to Europe, Casablanca, bathed in the waters of the Atlantic already at the outposts, anxious to keep its aura, has continued to develop to offer its visitors the best hotel structures including world-renowned establishments accompanying them with cultural activities, sports, leisure, and excursions to discover other treasures of Morocco.
Behind the modern appearances hides Casablanca the authentic marrying generations and contrasts, traditional Morocco and modern Morocco. The most sought-after destination, a welcoming, open and tolerant city, Casablanca remains a crossroads where races, religions and languages meet. It invites you to discover it through the lively and colorful streets of the souks of its old medina, its authentic district of the Habous, its city center with art deco and Moorish architecture, its famous squares, its kilometers of corniche in Ain Diab facing the ocean, of its newly enlarged fishing port. During your stay, enjoy the tasty dishes of the great gastronomy of Casablanca, enjoy the atmosphere of this cosmopolitan city. Casabella!
Casablanca has a population of about 4,000,000. It is located on the Atlantic coast in the west-central part of Morocco, less than 100 km south of Rabat, the administrative capital. Its climate is a dry, temperate Mediterranean with oceanic influences, with a hot and dry summer. Average temperature of about 18 degrees, and an average rainfall of 432 mm.
Etymology: Formerly called Anfa, of uncertain origin, for some of Berber origin (Anfa = hill), for others, of Arabic origin (Anf = nose). From earlier origin according to other versions. It was called Casa Branca after the Portuguese invasion of the city, and until their departure in 1755.During the reign of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah (1757-1790) it was populated by Berbers. At this time, it was rebuilt and fortified, and called Dar el Beida. But from 1781, it was the toponym in Spanish that was chosen to definitively name Casablanca Casablanca by Spanish sailors seeing a white house on the hill serving as their landmark. This casa blanca would give its name to the Moroccan metropolis.
Founded by the Romans for some, by the Phoenicians for others. According to the historian Ezzayani, it was founded by the Zenata Berbers established in the region of Tamesna (from Bouregreg to Oum-Er-Rabia). Portulans and cartographers in the XIV and XV gave it various names: Niffe, Anafé. In the 12th century it is described as a commercial port. The Portuguese besieged it and destroyed it in 1468. Since then it was its decline until the second part of the eighteenth century when it is rebuilt by the Alaouite sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah. It will repopulate and know different essors under different kingdoms that will succeed each other. The sultan Moulay Abderrahman reopened trade to the Europeans, which trade will know its peak towards the end of the nineteenth century attracting traders from Tangier, Fes, Rabat while the city was built of stone buildings. In 1906, the Algeciras conference awarded the port’s development works to France. From 1907, serious incidents occur, the welcome pretexts for France to intervene militarily. In 1912, Morocco became a French protectorate which did not end until independence in 1956.
