Travelling Casablanca
Before You Travel
Casablanca
Also known as Casa or Dar el Baida, Casablanca is essentially the capital of Morocco. Any European citizen or traveler will feel immediately at home here and will have an almost instinctive understanding of the life here. There are plenty of hotels in and around Casablanca. Regardless of the size of your budget, you can find a superb place to enjoy a meal in this vibrant city. Entertain your wildest holiday fantasies in Casablanca!
Casablanca was established as a town in 1906 with a population of 20 000. Later in 1907 when the French landed here, Fez was its commercial center whilst Tangier was set up as the city's main harbor. The French were soon ousted, however, and had to seek a new port altogether and Tangier remained Moroccan. Things have changed much since then. With a population of over 3 million, Casablanca resembles a Southern European city. Today all duties are handled here except for administration.
The imposing Notre Dame de Lourdes Church has very obvious European influences and is a striking contrast to many of the more traditional attractions that can be found in the city of Casablanca. In fact, you’ll see this massive edifice quite easily from a distance as it towers above many of the smaller, locally funded structures that surround it.
The Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Morocco is not a very old building, having been completed as recently as 1956. The most outstanding external feature of the church is a massive concrete ‘hood’ which towers over the doorways of the church and is completed with a small crucifix attached at its highest point. This feature is one of the more remarkable architectural fixtures of the church, but it is the absolutely breathtaking stained glass windows that capture everyone’s attention. The open, airy interiors are lit up by the colored beams of light that filter through these stained glass windows which cover an entire wall – giving the window a surface area of over 800 square meters. The result is so dazzling and it is unfortunately very difficult to get good pictures of this lovely feature in the Notre Dame de Lourdes Church. Outside you may find a queue of people waiting to light a candle at a small but attractive shrine.
At first glance, you may wonder why there is a Catholic church in Morocco. The fact is that there are approximately 20,000 Catholics living in the country and that this religious denomination has long been accepted in Morocco. The Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Morocco is clear evidence of the strong Roman Catholic presence in Casablanca and, while this may not be the major religion in the country, it certainly isn’t only practiced by a small minority. The Notre Dame de Lourdes Church is also a great attraction that you can easily gain access to and it makes for interesting photographs and a great travel experience. So why not include this great attraction in your travel itinerary? You may just find that it is better than you imagined.
Things to See & Do
Rialto Cinema
This beautiful Art Deco cinema palace was constructed in 1930. Catch a movie and enjoy the architecture too.
Cathedral of Sacre C'ur
This cathedral has a refreshing design that features many traditional Moroccan styles. In the past it was used as a school and then a culture center. Now however, whilst the exterior holds its visual appeal, the interior has succumbed to entropy.
Villa des Arts
This Art Deco exhibition center houses many lovely contemporary art pieces.
Casablanca Tours
