Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Casablanca (Morocco). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Hassan II Mosque, Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church, and Casablanca Cathedral. Also, be sure to include United Nations Square in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Casablanca (Grand Casablanca).
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Hassan II Mosque
Also known as: مسجد الحسن الثاني
Ornate mosque with a towering minaret. The Hassan II Mosque is a mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. It is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world's second tallest minaret at 210 metres. Completed in 1993, it was designed by Michel Pinseau under the guidance of King Hassan II and built by Moroccan artisans from all over the kingdom. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca. The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean; worshippers can pray over the sea but there is no glass floor looking into the sea. The walls are of hand-crafted marble and the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside ground.[1]
Address: Boulevard de la Corniche, 20000 Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)
Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church
Catholic church in Casablanca, Morocco. Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church is a modernist Catholic church in Casablanca, Morocco. It was built in 1954 by architect Achille Dangleterre and engineer Gaston Zimmer. The main attraction of Notre-Dame de Lourdes church is the glasswork of world-famous stained glass artist Gabriel Loire. Its also long concrete entrance is also noteworthy.[2]
Address: Rond-Point d'Europe, 20500 Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)
Casablanca Cathedral
Also known as: كنيسة القلب المقدس
Stately, historical Catholic cathedral. Casablanca Cathedral, or Church of the Sacred Heart, is a former Roman Catholic church located in Casablanca, Morocco.[3]
Address: Angle Rue d'Alger et Blvd Rachdi, 20000 Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)
United Nations Square
Tourist attraction in Casablanca, Morocco. United Nations Square is a public square in the center of Casablanca, Morocco. It has been central in the history of Casablanca.[4]
Address: Boulevard Mohammed V, Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)
Casablanca Clock Tower
The Casablanca Clock Tower is a clock tower in Casablanca, Morocco. Located in United Nations Square, the tower is a 1993 reproduction of one of the oldest French-built structures in the city. The original tower was built between 1908-1910 by the French commander Charles Martial Joseph Dessigny, as an identical copy of one he had built in Aïn Séfra when stationed there previously.
It was demolished May 1948. The current tower is an almost identical copy rebuilt nearby in 1993.[5]
Abderrahman Slaoui Museum
The Abderrahman Slaoui Museum is a museum in Casablanca, Morocco. It is named after Abderrahman Slaoui, Moroccan businessman and art collector who died in 2001. The museum was founded by the Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation, and has been open since May 2012. The museum displays the collection of its namesake: old posters, Moroccan jewelry, figurative paintings by Muhammad Ben Ali Rabati, landscape paintings by Jacques Majorelle, crystal objects, etc.
The museum hosts temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary Moroccan artists on a quarterly basis, and offers artistic workshops for visitors who want to learn the crafts.[6]
Address: 12 Rue Du Parc, 20070 Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)
Cinema Rialto
Cinema Rialto is a movie theater built in 1929 in Casablanca, Morocco. It's one of the oldest cinemas in Morocco.[7]
Ettedgui Synagogue
Synagogue in Casablanca, Morocco. The Ettedgui Synagogue is a synagogue in the medina of Casablanca, Morocco. It was rededicated by King Mohammed VI of Morocco on December 20, 2016, after it was restored. A government grant of about $844,000 funded the restorations, according to the Maghreb Arab Press.
Next to it, there is a museum dedicated to the Mellah, or Jewish quarter, of Casablanca.[8]
Old Abattoirs
The Former Abattoirs or the Former Slaughterhouses of Casablanca were constructed under the French protectorate in Morocco in 1912 in the neighborhood of Hay Mohammadi in Casablanca.[9]
Dar ul-Aala
Dar ul-Aala is a museum dedicated to traditional Mauro-Andalusi music located in Casablanca, Morocco. It was founded in 2010 by the Society of Amateurs of Andalusi Music in Morocco. It hosts a collection of valuable antique instruments dating back centuries, as well as rare musical recordings, manuscripts, and publications relating to Andalusi music and its legacy.[10]
Twin Center
Also known as: برجا الدار البيضاء
Building complex. The Casablanca Twin Center is a complex of two skyscrapers located at Casablanca, Morocco. The two structures, the West Tower and the East Tower, have 28 floors each. The center houses a complex of shops, offices, and a five-star hotel, and lies at the heart of Casablanca in the Maarif district, at the crossroads between Zerktouni Boulevard and the Boulevard Al Massira Al Khadra. The main architect was Ricardo Bofill and the associate architect was the Moroccan Elie Mouyal.[11]
Address: Boulevard Zerktouni-Al Massira, 20000 Casablanca (منطقة الدار البيضاء)