Arriving in Casablanca a day before the start of my tour of Morocco (A 10 Day Moroccan Adventure with Kim Larkin Adventures), I knew that I wanted to explore Casablanca on my own, to really get a feel for the country I would be spending half a month in.
After checking into Atlas Sky Casa – Casablanca Airport and my experiences in being stalked by a taxi driver (How I Got Stalked By a Taxi in Casablanca When I Tried to Use iNDRIVE), I was extremely glad that Soufine was able to reschedule my tour – which allowed me to finally arrive safely to Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur and for us to meet.
History of Casablanca
Morocco’s history stretches back thousands of years, beginning with its Indigenous Amazigh (Berber) populations, whose diverse tribes established early kingdoms and extensive trade networks linking North Africa to the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan regions. As a crossroads of civilizations, the area absorbed influences from Phoenician and Carthaginian traders, Roman administration – especially in northern Morocco – and later the transformative spread of Islam in the seventh century. The resulting Arabization and Islamization paved the way for powerful dynasties such as the Idrisids, Almoravids, Almohads, and Marinids, whose political authority and cultural achievements shaped the wider Maghreb and al-Andalus.
Within this broader historical context, Casablanca developed from a modest Amazigh settlement and small port into a growing coastal town, later named Casa Branca by the Portuguese and eventually evolving into a regional trading center.
In the modern era, Morocco’s strategic position drew increasing European interest, culminating in the establishment of the French and Spanish colonial protectorates in 1912. Casablanca became a focal point of French colonial urban planning and economic development, transformed into a major port city with broad boulevards, administrative buildings, and industrial zones that reflected French visions of a modern colonial metropolis. This restructuring, while significantly altering the city’s demographic and urban landscape, also helped galvanize nationalist sentiment that contributed to Morocco’s independence in 1956 under King Mohammed V.
Since then, both Morocco and its largest city have continued to modernize under the reigns of Hassan II and Mohammed VI, with Casablanca emerging as the nation’s economic center and a key symbol of Morocco’s ongoing negotiation between its Amazigh roots, Islamic heritage, colonial past, and contemporary future.
Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur
After meeting Soufine at his predetermined point, a wave of relief washed over me. He was sympathetic for the unfortunate circumstances with the taxi driver and I appreciated his sense of care.
As we walked around the cathedral and toward Arab League Park, he gave me a short history lesson of the structure. Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur in Casablanca, completed in 1930 under the French Protectorate, represents a significant architectural statement within the city’s colonial-era development. Designed in a fusion of Neo-Gothic forms, Art Deco influences, and regional Moroccan elements, the structure reflects the period’s broader effort to integrate European religious and civic architecture into North Africa’s urban landscape.
Although commonly referred to as a cathedral, it never served as the official episcopal seat and instead functioned as a major church for the city’s European Catholic community. After Morocco’s independence, the building was deconsecrated and gradually repurposed for educational and cultural uses, marking a shift in its role within the urban fabric.
I absolutely loved how it towered above the landscape.
Arab League park
As we stood in Arab League Park, I was immediately struck by its elegant layout, which reminded me of my time in Istanbul at the Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton. Just steps from my hotel there, the grandeur of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque rose above a carefully tended landscape. And something about the symmetry and serenity of Arab League Park brought those memories rushing back.
Originally established during the French Protectorate in the early twentieth century, the park was designed as a European-style public space with broad promenades, orderly rows of palms, and sweeping green lawns that reflected the colonial vision for a modern and cosmopolitan Casablanca.
Mohammed V Square
As we walked from Arab League Park to Mohammed V Square, I was caught up in the life of Morocco. Languages swirled around me as I followed Soufine and explained the area.
Mohammed V Square in Casablanca serves as a central civic landmark that reflects the city’s political and architectural evolution during the 20th century. Developed under the French Protectorate, the square is framed by prominent administrative buildings constructed in the distinctive Mauresque style, which blends French architectural principles with Moroccan decorative elements.
Over time, it has remained a focal point for public gatherings, ceremonies, and civic activity, symbolizing the modernization of Casablanca as it expanded into a major urban center. Today, the square retains its historical significance as a space where the city’s colonial legacy, administrative functions, and public life converge.
I absolutely loved the square. I also asked Soufine about the different languages on the buildings. Here, he explained that they were of the languages spoken in Morocco: Arabic and Amazigh (Berber). He also explained that the legislative language of Morocco was French, the language of the colonizer.
Boulevard Mohammed V and United Nation square
As we continued our walk, we moved down Boulevard Mohammed V toward United Nations Square.
Together, they illustrate the evolution of Casablanca’s urban identity from the French Protectorate through the post-independence era. Conceived as part of a sweeping colonial plan to modernize and reorganize the metropolis, Boulevard Mohammed V was designed with wide thoroughfares, arcaded buildings, and a distinctive blend of Art Deco and Mauresque architecture that projected both modernity and imperial authority.
As the city grew, the boulevard emerged as one of Casablanca’s principal commercial and administrative corridors, linking major civic spaces and helping shape its social and economic rhythms. Just as central to this vision was United Nations Square, laid out as a key junction that bridged the traditional medina with the newly constructed European style districts.
Serving as both a symbolic and functional gateway, the square became a hub of transportation, commerce, and public life, reflecting the colonial ambition to mold Casablanca into a modern port city. In the years following independence, both the boulevard and the square retained their prominence – Boulevard Mohammed V as a historic architectural landmark and United Nations Square as a vital civic center – each bearing witness to the city’s layered history and the dynamic interplay between indigenous urban traditions and colonial era planning.
It was beautiful and vibrant to walk through.
Walking the Old Medina of Casablanca
The medina represents one of the city’s few surviving pre-colonial urban spaces, offering insight into its historical form before the extensive transformations imposed during the French Protectorate. Although smaller and less architecturally elaborate than the medinas of cities such as Fes or Marrakech, it reflects the organic layout characteristic of traditional Moroccan towns, with narrow alleys, clustered residential quarters, and small markets serving local needs.
Much of the original settlement was damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and later reshaped under the Alaouite dynasty, resulting in a modest coastal town that persisted until French urban planners redirected Casablanca’s expansion eastward in the early twentieth century.
It was absolutely fascinating to walk, capture the ornate doors and enjoy some more mint tea during a stop at an herb store.
La Sqala Fortress
Walking to the other end of the medina, Soufine led me through a restaurant and to the cannon filled platform of La Sqala Fortress.
Constructed in the eighteenth century under the Alaouite dynasty, the fortress stands as one of the city’s most prominent surviving examples of pre colonial military architecture. Built as a coastal bastion to defend the port and surrounding settlement, it reflects the strategic importance of Casablanca’s shoreline at a time when Atlantic trade, piracy, and European naval ambitions shaped regional politics.
The fortress features thick masonry walls, artillery platforms, and a layout consistent with Moroccan coastal defenses of the period, designed to control access to the harbor and reinforce local authority. Although its military function diminished with the rise of modern artillery and, later, with the sweeping urban changes brought by the French Protectorate, La Sqala remains an important historical landmark that preserves the memory of Casablanca’s defensive infrastructure and its role in regional maritime history.
I absolutely loved walking around the fortress and capturing the various murals painted on the buildings.
Rick’s Café
Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca, while not a historic remnant of the colonial period, has become a notable contemporary landmark shaped by the enduring global fascination with the 1942 film Casablanca. Opened in 2004 inside a restored early twentieth century mansion near the old medina, the cafe was intentionally crafted to mirror the film’s fictional nightclub, complete with arches, period-inspired decor, and a piano bar that conjures the movie’s romantic atmosphere. Its existence highlights how modern Casablanca engages with the mythos created by Hollywood, blending nostalgia and tourism with local architectural restoration to anchor the city within a broader cultural memory.
When we arrived, I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight – after all, the original “Rick’s Cafe” never existed outside a soundstage. What stood before me was peak tourism, a kind of cinematic pilgrimage site, complete with a long line of eager visitors ready to experience a taste of Casablanca – in Casablanca.
Later, on my flight back to the United States from Marrakesh, my seatmate told me she had dined there, declaring the food excellent and noting that her entire tour group loved their meals. I was actually rather impressed, as it was a reminder that even the most touristy spaces can offer genuine enjoyment.
Hassan II Mosque
Walking from Rick’s Café to the Hassan II Mosque offered an unexpected glimpse into Casablanca’s dual identity as both a modern city and a working port. Our path took us through the Marina Shopping Center and then along the Atlantic Oceanfront, where the water stretched out in shimmering blue and cargo ships lingered offshore, waiting for their turn to dock. The wind whipped against us as waves crashed dramatically against the shoreline, and everywhere people were pausing to photograph the sunset, capturing the gold and rose colors settling over the city. It was a perfect transition toward our final stop.
When we reached the mosque, I was momentarily speechless. The Hassan II Mosque – completed in 1993 – stands as one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements of modern Morocco, commissioned by King Hassan II as both a monumental expression of Islamic faith and a testament to Moroccan craftsmanship.
Using traditional materials and artisanal techniques reinforced by modern engineering, the structure rises partly over the Atlantic, tying centuries of Moroccan architectural tradition to its maritime setting. Its minaret, soaring 210 meters high, dominates the skyline and underscores the central role of Islam in national life. As one of the largest mosques in the world, it not only reflects Morocco’s post-independence aspirations but also stands as a cultural and architectural anchor for Casablanca within the wider Maghreb.
Overall
After a morning that began with unexpected tension and a taxi incident I will not soon forget, walking through Casablanca with Soufine became a grounding experience. Instead of being afraid of being a solo traveler in Casablanca, my state of awareness was transformed into curiosity and appreciation.
Each landmark revealed another facet of the city. By the end of the tour, I felt not only safe but deeply connected to Casablanca’s complexity, grateful for the chance to witness its beauty and enduring cultural significance firsthand.
Casablanca Walking Tour: History & Landmarks
Casablanca, Morocco
