DURATION 50 MINUTES
Walking Tour: Central Casablanca
Central Casablanca has a rich architectural heritage. The style of colonial architecture found here in abundance is known as
Mauresque and came into being during General Lyautey’s term of office as resident governor of Morocco between 1912 and
1924.
The style blended aspects of traditional Moroccan design such as Islamic arches, columns, scrollwork and tilework with the
more liberal influences of early-20th-century Europe. By the 1930s, Mauresque architecture began to reflect the Parisian art-
deco style, characterised by ornate wrought-iron balconies, staircases, and windows; carved facades and friezes; and
rounded exterior corners. Some of these buildings have been restored or are kept in good condition, and are a visual reminder
of Casa’s early protectorate history. Some, however, are in a sorry state.
It was General Lyautey, as Governor, who decided to make Casablanca the economic hub of Morocco. He hired French
architect and town planner Henri Prost (1874–1959) to design a model new town. Prost had already proved his worth in
Antwerp, and went on to work on plans for Meknès, Fez and Rabat in Morocco, as well as Paris and Istanbul. Delighted at the
prospect of building a city from scratch, Prost designed Casablanca from the air, the first city in history to be laid out by
aeroplane. The city was considered the pinnacle of French colonial achievement.
Wherever you go in downtown Casa, look up! The humblest block of apartments could sport decorative details such as
carved friezes of tumbling flowers, ornate tilework and rounded balconies, even if the building itself is shamefully neglected.
This walking tour takes in the best Maur-esque buildings, and some other Casa treasures.
Start on the northwest edge of the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, where you can’t miss the imposing white Cathédrale du
Sacré Coeur , a graceful cathedral designed by Paul Tornon and built in 1930. This is a good example of the style, with some
neo-Gothic influence. The church was deconsecrated in 1956 and is occasionally used as a cultural centre, but inside it’s quite
dilapidated.
From here, walk two blocks east to Pl Mohammed V, which is the grand centre-piece of the French building scheme. The
vast square, much beloved by Casablancais who congregate here in the evenings and on weekends, is surrounded by an
impressive array of august administrative buildings, most designed by Robert Marrast and Henri Prost. The wilaya (old
police headquarters, now the governor’s office), dating from 1930, dominates the south side of the square and is topped by a
modernist clock tower.
The nearby palais de justice (law courts) was built in 1925. The huge main door and entrance were inspired by the
Persian iwan , a vaulted hall that usually opens into the central court of the medersa (theological college) of a mosque.
Stroll across the grand square and admire the 1918 main post office , a wonderful building fronted by arches and stone
columns and decorated with bold mosaics. More in the style of traditional Moroccan architecture is the Banque al-
Maghrib , on Blvd de Paris. Fronted with decorative stonework, it was the last building constructed on the square.
From here, walk east on Rue Indriss Lahrizi, where impressive facades line both sides of the street, the best being La
Princière Salon de Thé , easily recognised by the huge stone crown on the roofline. Turn right into Rue Mohammed Belloul
to see Hôtel Guynemer with its carefully restored art-deco panelling, and almost opposite, the slightly less impressive
Hotel Oued Dahab . Then walk one block east and turn right down Rue Tahar Sebti, which is lined with colonial buildings that
now serve as apartments and offices.
Turn left into Rue Chaouia and look out for Hôtel Transatlantique , which dates from 1922 and has been beautifully
restored. Just around the corner, another restored gem, the Hotel Volubilis , has a great facade.
Turn left up Rue Ibn Batouta and continue to the corner of Blvd Mohammed V. On your right is the enormous derelict shell of
the Hôtel Lincoln , a Mauresque masterpiece built in 1916. Its restoration is in limbo while the owner cannot afford to carry
out the work and the authorities will not allow such an important building to be torn down.
Turn left into Blvd Mohammed V and look out for an array of wonderful facades along the south side of the street. The
Central Market post office , with its delicate, carved motifs, and the Le Matin/Maroc Soir building, with its classic
style, are two of the most impressive. There are plans in place to restore this entire area.
At the end of this block, on the corner of Rue Mohammed el-Qory, is Petit Poucet bar and pavement cafe, where such
characters as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry whiled away his time in the 1920s between flights to the Sahara. Edith Piaf and Albert
Camus were also customers. It’s worth looking inside at the original bar counter. Turn left here into Rue Mohammed el-Qory to
find the Cinéma Rialto , a classic art-deco building with some wonderful touches, including a pretty paint job. Continue
south to the junction with Ave Houmane el-Fetouaki and turn right to reach Place 16 Novembre , which is home to an
array of art-deco buildings.