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Essaouira 18, Morocco
Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a fortified port city on the Atlantic coast of southwestern Morocco in the Marrakesh-Safi region. Its medina exemplifies a late-18th-century fortified town constructed according to principles of contemporary European military architecture, adapted to a North African context, and serves as a major international trading seaport linking Morocco with its Saharan hinterland, Europe, and beyond. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, Essaouira reflects a multicultural heritage shaped by diverse ethnic groups including Amazighs, Arabs, Africans, and Europeans, as well as religious communities of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Founded in the mid-18th century by Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah (r. 1757–1790), the city was established as a royal port and commercial center, dubbed the "Port of Timbuktu" for its role in trans-Saharan trade. The fortifications and urban layout were designed by a French architect influenced by the works of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, incorporating bastioned walls, harbor defenses, and a grid-patterned medina that prioritized defense and commerce. Archaeological evidence indicates earlier occupation by Phoenician traders, followed by Carthaginians and Romans, underscoring the site's longstanding maritime importance. Today, Essaouira's economy centers on fishing, tourism, and artisanal production, bolstered by its well-preserved historic fabric and consistent Atlantic winds that draw watersports enthusiasts. The city's medina meets UNESCO criteria (ii) for demonstrating significant interchange of influences in architecture and urban planning, and (iv) as an outstanding example of 18th-century fortified seaports in North Africa. Its inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2019 highlights its ongoing cultural vitality.
from Grokipedia
Essaouira 18, Morocco
Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a fortified port city on the Atlantic coast of southwestern Morocco in the Marrakesh-Safi region. Its medina exemplifies a late-18th-century fortified town constructed according to principles of contemporary European military architecture, adapted to a North African context, and serves as a major international trading seaport linking Morocco with its Saharan hinterland, Europe, and beyond. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, Essaouira reflects a multicultural heritage shaped by diverse ethnic groups including Amazighs, Arabs, Africans, and Europeans, as well as religious communities of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Founded in the mid-18th century by Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah (r. 1757–1790), the city was established as a royal port and commercial center, dubbed the "Port of Timbuktu" for its role in trans-Saharan trade. The fortifications and urban layout were designed by a French architect influenced by the works of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, incorporating bastioned walls, harbor defenses, and a grid-patterned medina that prioritized defense and commerce. Archaeological evidence indicates earlier occupation by Phoenician traders, followed by Carthaginians and Romans, underscoring the site's longstanding maritime importance. Today, Essaouira's economy centers on fishing, tourism, and artisanal production, bolstered by its well-preserved historic fabric and consistent Atlantic winds that draw watersports enthusiasts. The city's medina meets UNESCO criteria (ii) for demonstrating significant interchange of influences in architecture and urban planning, and (iv) as an outstanding example of 18th-century fortified seaports in North Africa. Its inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2019 highlights its ongoing cultural vitality.
from Grokipedia