Essaouira

Essaouira, port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, formerly known as Mogador, 170 km (106 mi) west of Marrakech. The high Atlas Mountains protect the coastal zone around Essaouira from the extreme heat of the Sahara. Rainfall averages 30 cm (12 in) a year, with the rainy season in late winter. Essaouira lies on a low sandstone promontory, and the surrounding area is mostly dunes and scrub. The sheltered harbor can accommodate only small fishing craft; barges from vessels at anchor generally transship cargo to shore.

Essaouira was founded in 1760 by Sultan Sidi Muhammad ibn-Abdullah. The city was laid out in a rectilinear pattern by French engineer Cornut, and the design of the original city was completed about 1770. In 1844 the fortress was bombarded by a French naval force under the direction of Prince de Joinville, son of King Louis Philippe. In 1873 Essaouira was besieged by tribesmen and in 1906 briefly occupied by the Berber leader Anflus. French occupation began in 1907. Essaouira prospered for a time, but declined when the city of Agadir was opened to foreign trade in the 20th century. In November 1942 United States troops landed at Essaouira during the Allied invasion of North Africa. Population 56,074 (1994).