The Habous, a "new" medina: Casablanca has a unique feature in that it boasts two medinas: the old one near the port and a so-called "new" medina in the Habous district. This latter medina was conceived just over a century ago, starting in 1917, under the French protectorate, to accommodate Moroccan Muslims arriving from all regions of the country, using traditional Moroccan architecture. In addition to housing, this medina, simply known as "Les Habous" today, features artisanal shops, traditional clothing stores, and the famous olive market.
Hassan II Mosque: This majestic religious edifice is one of the world's three largest mosques. A masterpiece of Arabo-Muslim architecture, the Hassan II Mosque is a tribute to the finesse and delicacy of Moroccan craftsmanship. It involved no less than 3,300 Moroccan artisans of national and international renown who applied their expertise and dexterity to elevate this major Muslim place of worship. Partially built over the Atlantic Ocean, a remarkable technical achievement, and inaugurated on August 30, 1993, it is a mosque of superlatives. Its minaret stands at 200 meters, and a laser beam, with a range of 30 kilometers and oriented towards Mecca, emanates from its 15.5-meter-high lighthouse comprised of three golden balls. The ablution hall features 41 fountains. The mosque can accommodate 105,000 worshipers, with 25,000 inside and 80,000 on its grand esplanade. It covers an area of 9 hectares and was completed by 12,500 craftsmen and laborers in just 6 years, thanks to the contributions of all Moroccans, as it was funded through a national subscription.
Villa des Arts: In this Art Deco villa built in 1934, the ONA Foundation offers a rich year-round program of exhibitions by both national and international artists. This provides an opportunity to admire not only the pictorial works but also the Art Deco architecture of the villa, nestled within a garden. In addition to exhibitions, the venue hosts seminars on various art-related topics presented by experts in the field.
Abderrahmane Slaoui Museum: This museum, housed in a 1940s villa, has been scenographically designed to be visited like a collector's house, spanning 600 square meters and 3 floors. And that's exactly what it is, as it houses the collections of Abderrahmane Slaoui, a great collector, traveler, aesthete, and humanist. The permanent collections are divided into different themes: kohl bottles and snuffboxes, Fes ceramics, orientalist posters, Moroccan jewelry, cabinets of curiosity, and more. The Abderrahmane Slaoui Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions of works by local and international artists.
Moroccan Jewish Museum: The building that now houses the Moroccan Jewish Museum served as an orphanage from the late 1940s to the 1970s. Celia Bengio, a Moroccan Jew, decided to create an association to help abandoned Jewish children. In 1948, she had the Home for Orphaned Children Murdock Bengio built in memory of her late husband. In the late 1970s, the place once again received children, this time as a Yeshiva, a Jewish religious school, until the mid-1980s. The premises closed once more, only to reopen in 1997 as the Moroccan Jewish Museum. In its permanent exhibition, the museum displays objects of worship and their Moroccan specificity through key pieces such as Torah scrolls and their ornaments, traditional synagogue lamps, Bar Mitzvah ceremony elements, Hanukkah lamps, Esther scrolls, circumcision chairs, and synagogue platforms.
Former Sacré-Cœur Church: Located on Rachidi Boulevard, which still features well-preserved examples of Art Deco villas, is the former Sacré-Cœur Church. Often incorrectly referred to as a cathedral by the people of Casablanca, it likely gained this religious status due to its significance in the city. Built between 1932 and 1959 and designed by French architect Paul Tournon, the church, with its imposing presence and two square towers that resemble minarets to some, has long lost its religious purpose (its colorful stained glass windows were even concealed), but it remains an integral part of the city. Its role has shifted towards culture, and while this status is soon to be officially recognized, the church has already hosted exhibitions and successful fashion shows.
Mohammed V Square and its Neo-Moroccan Architecture: Known for its Art Deco architecture, Casablanca also houses beautiful buildings with Neo-Moroccan architecture, with four major ones surrounding Mohammed V Square.
The Grand Post Office: This building, constructed between 1918 and 1920 by Adrien Laforgue, was the first to grace the square. While it may initially appear sober, upon closer inspection, you can admire a colorful panel of green and blue zellige tiles at the top of the main facade, beneath the central green-tiled awning. The interior is also intriguing, with its carved and glazed cedarwood dome. Since the building still serves as a public post office, you can easily visit it, unlike some other structures on the square.
Palais de Justice (Courthouse): Across from the Grand Post Office, the Courthouse was designed by Marrast and built between 1921 and 1922. This architect played a significant role in finalizing the square's layout alongside Prost. This particularly imposing building faces a park that allows its entire facade to be adorned with traditional Moroccan arts, a feature desired by Lyautey, who was clearly involved in this project. The Courthouse opens at its center with a wide staircase, reminiscent of French judicial buildings. However, its monumental ogival archway, reminiscent of those in the medinas, and its layout remain Moroccan. Carved brown stone, found in many Neo-Moroccan-style buildings, surrounds the upper part of the porch, with a double frieze of blue and green zellige tiles. The first extends onto the galleries running to the right and left of the entrance, while the second, broader one adds touches of deep red and is elevated, featuring a band of sculpted stones topped by a green glazed tile roof. The two galleries, with cedarwood ceilings, reveal lushly landscaped courtyards.
Wilaya du Grand Casablanca (Casablanca Regional Council): Originally designed in 1914 by Prost and further developed by Marrast in 1920, the building eventually took shape under Boyer, who won the competition in 1927, with a decidedly more Moroccan approach than his predecessors. Completed in 1937, the same year as Bank Al Maghrib, it combines various styles, including Neo-Moroccan for the facades and Art Deco for the wrought ironwork and interiors. The clock bears a resemblance to minarets on mosques. Notable elements include arcades, carved stone, and, of course, green glazed tiles. Like the Courthouse, the building features courtyards.
Bank Al Maghrib: Considered one of the most accomplished examples of Neo-Moroccan style, this building was designed by Edmond Brion. The monumental facade and portico are highly detailed, including a geometric frieze of carved stone. Inside the portico, don't miss the octagonal pillars made of Trieste granite and the delicate stylized diamonds above them. Under the same portico, you can also admire the majestic wrought-iron door with geometric lines, framed by black Belgian granite that contrasts with the entire stone wall and green Taza tiles. Mohammed V Square is enriched by a new architectural work: the Grand Theatre of Casablanca.
