Although Casablanca is not one of Morocco’s four imperial cities since it has never been the country’s capital, this does not mean that it cannot have a Royal Palace. The truth is that Casablanca’s Royal Palace is one of the city’s most beautiful monuments.
Although it is not as old as other cities in the country, Casablanca experienced strong growth during the 19th and 20th centuries thanks to industrialisation and its influential port. Today it is considered the economic capital of Morocco. As a result of that growth, the construction of the Royal Palace in the 1920s, at the height of the French Protectorate, was a message from the king, who wanted a stronghold in this booming city.
Today, Casablanca is an enormous city with more than three million inhabitants. It is a major stronghold on Morocco’s Atlantic coast that is not lost on the Alawite monarchy, which is present there through the Royal Palace.
History
Casablanca’s Royal Palace was built in the 1920s under the direction of the Pertuzio brothers, Louis-Paul and Felix-Joseph, architects of that period who worked for the French Protectorate and were part of the management of Casablanca’s city development plan. They left their mark on several buildings. Both became the personal architects of King Mohammed V.
The style of the building is contemporary Arab-Muslim and features magnificent Mediterranean gardens inside, as well as imposing windows and impressive exterior walls. Nevertheless, what stands out most is the grandeur of the palace’s main gateway, a grand portico of three horseshoe arches, with the central gateway in metallic gold and sculpted with a myriad of geometric patterns which are so characteristic of this architecture. All of this is crowned by a green roof. That is why it is worth going there.
The building is heavily guarded, protected by guards around the perimeter, making it a highly secure area.
Visiting Casablanca’s Royal Palace
You cannot visit Casablanca’s Royal Palace. The building is currently one of the official residences of the Alawite royal family when the monarch visits the city, so the public is not allowed to enter.
You can go near the entrance, with the huge esplanade that precedes the main entrance to the palace.
The Royal Palace is also the venue for certain official receptions. It famously hosted John Paul II on his visit in 1985, during the reign of Hassan II, the first visit by the then Pope to an Islamic country. The Palace also hosted the 1969 founding summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which has 57 member countries from the Muslim world.
Things to see nearby
Casablanca’s Royal Palace is located in the Quartier Habous, also known as the New Medina. This area of the city was developed at the same time as the Royal Palace, in the 1920s, during the French Protectorate.
Habous seeks to reconstruct a medina with a modern appearance, based on the rules of French town planning but respecting Moroccan traditions. Today, it is a picturesque quarter, a large bazaar and home to numerous artisans with stalls and bazaars.
There are also bookshops specialising in Arabic books, as can be seen on the nearby Victor Hugo Boulevard, which has a number of such establishments.
Next to the Royal Palace is the former Mahkama du Pacha, a monumental administrative building in the Mauro-Andalusi style that served as a courthouse, residence of the pasha (governor) and prison. It has several courtyards, some of them in the style of the Court of the Lions at the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
Not far away is also the Murdoch Garden or Isesco Park, the second largest green space in the centre after the Arab League Park.
The area surrounding the Royal Palace is clearly very interesting.
Where to stay in Casablanca
As a city with tourist attractions, Casablanca also has a number of major hotels and accommodation facilities. In the heart of the city centre, you will find the Barceló Casablanca and Barceló Anfa Casablanca hotels, two modern establishments that will surprise you.
The Barceló Casablanca is a four-star hotel located on Anfa Boulevard, just a 15-minute walk from the Arab League Park and 30 minutes from the Hassan II Mosque. In fact, some of the hotel’s rooms enjoy superb views of the mosque, the largest in the world. It also has a modern restaurant serving Moroccan cuisine, the avant-garde B-Bar and facilities for business meetings.
The neighbouring Barceló Anfa Casablanca is a few metres further on, also on Anfa Boulevard. It is a five-star hotel, which makes it a luxury establishment for a stay in Casablanca. The building has 206 B-Room style rooms, a complete gym with spa, restaurant, bars, rooms for large events and one of the jewels, a magnificent terrace with swimming pool.
Both hotels are ideal for exploring Casablanca and even for setting up base there to explore other nearby cities such as Rabat, Meknès and Marrakech.
