Formerly called Amogdul (the well-kept) in Berber, Mogdura Portuguese, Spanish and French Mogadur in Mogador, Essaouira (الصويرة) (prepared) is a port city of Morocco on the Atlantic coast with approximately 70 000 inhabitants and the chief city of the province of the same name with about 500 000 inhabitants. Medina is the inscription on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
the new city:
In 1764, Sultan Mohammed ben Abdellah decided to install its naval base in Essaouira, where the pirates are punished the people of Agadir in rebellion against his authority. Theodore Cornut used a French architect in the payment of British Gibraltar. The Sultan received all the honors due to a great artist and he hoped the completion of the new city "in the middle of the sand and wind, where there was nothing." Cornut Avignon, which had been used by Louis XV to the construction of fortifications in the Roussillon, he worked three years to build the port and the Kasbah, whose original is kept at the National Library of France in Paris. It seems that the second ring of walls and Medina were well after the departure of Cornut. Sultan has decided to extend their cooperation, to criticize the French for being too expensive and have worked for the British enemy. With its very regular, the city deserves its current name is Saou, which means "well designed". The importance of Essaouira has continued to grow until the first half of the nineteenth century, the city experienced great prosperity due to the large Jewish community. There are 17 000 to 10 000 Jews to Muslims only. Moroccan bourgeoisie flocked to buy jewelry. It was long known as the port of Timbuktu, as the caravans loaded with gold, spices and slaves from sub-Saharan Africa were traded. Trade was flourishing. But most Jews left after the Six-Day War. Today, there are some Jewish families in the city. For years, this was the only Moroccan port opened to foreign trade. The decline began with the French protectorate and the development of other ports (Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir). Handicapped by its waters and can not receive large modern ships, the city experienced a revival, however spectacular the last fifteen years, mainly due to the revival of tourism, but also with its cultural vocation. Essaouira is now the capital of a province of 500 000 inhabitants, most of the farmers. The city is linked by a cooperation with Saint-Malo, under the auspices of Unesco. Sister city of La Rochelle.
tourism:
Tourism is increasingly important in Essaouira, with beautiful hotels in the Moroccan riads in the old city. There are also modern hotels along the beach. Essaouira is also famous for windsurfing and kite-surfing, thanks to powerful winds that blow almost constantly in the bay.
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