Bastion la Sqala - VISIT CASABLANCA

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Bastion of the Sqala, a prestigious history and victory.

A place and a story

The Sqala is the unique relic that embodies the soul of Morocco's economic capital and recalls the great reign of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah. Since the 18th century, the famous Sqala has been built on the outskirts of Casablanca's old Medina, opposite the fishing port. It is now part of Casablanca's marvelous heritage, rediscovered as an ancient historical site that has been renovated.

A noble decision

The Sqala, built in 1769 by Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, is one of the few vestiges of the Sultan who transformed Casablanca from a hamlet into a city, literally. After choosing Casablanca as the location for a major port, he decided to equip the newly founded city with a deterrent defense system in the form of a battery of cannons facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Proof of architectural genius

It is enchanted by its massive size, the evocative memory of its stones, the height of its ceilings, the sound of the water flowing in its fountains, and the splendor of the Andalusian garden. This mixture has given rise to a unique architecture. The three slightly inclined sides of this fort have a modest wall height. The foundations, which are visible on ancient representations of figures, are erected at the same level as the rock. The stone ridge erected at the top of the wall was intended to deflect cannonballs to protect the canons' gun carriages.

A well-thought-out architectural design

The two watchtowers placed at different angles around the site reveal the intricacies of a well-thought-out defensive strategy. These watchtowers, which take the shape of peppercorns, allowed the defenders to monitor and defend the foundations of the wall. From this starting point, a series of fine ornaments accumulated until reaching a lid-like covering, which no longer exists, but can be seen in old photographs. Furthermore, after 1907, modifications were made, including the addition of a postern gate providing access to the sea and double-height stairwells leading to the esplanade of the "borj." The gun ports, which were originally separated by merlons, were also spaced out to adapt the building to more powerful artillery pieces.

When architectural design combines with ancestral heritage...

A magical fort where memory preserves the future

A symmetrical design surrounds the portal, which is topped by a floor, a terrace, and two doors. The left door leads to a partially excavated gallery that was supposed to serve as a weapons casemate. The right door was broken down in the early 1980s. Two doors, one on each side of the massive portal, provide access to the visitor center, which offers a view of the sea. The second floor is a loggia with beautiful huts remodeled into "moucharabieh." Two massive pillars, topped with square-shaped moldings, connect the "borj" to the rampart, creating a heart-shaped appearance for the "borj."

A Moorish cafe

La Sqala is ideal for hosting cultural events and gathering fans of the great city of Casablanca, with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Not to mention the fabulous restaurant serving traditional Moroccan cuisine. Artists and enthusiasts naturally gather here, since La Sqala is also a cultural space, thanks to a beautiful gallery dedicated to all forms of artistic expression, inspiring meditation and reflection.

Practical information

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