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We are in Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco. This city is a symbol of modernization for the entire Kingdom and was actually one of the pioneers in this part of the Kingdom. La Sqala is located in the old Medina of the White City. It overlooks the city’s port and offers great views of the Atlantic Ocean from the Corniche.
As soon as we arrived, we were struck by the complex, the elements of which testify to its original purely military role. The arched entrance leads to stairways on the left and right. Built on a high point, it is named “sqala”, which means ladder in Italian.
On the Corniche, cannons more than three centuries old still point toward the sea. This square, which now overlooks the Moorish restaurants that were set up there, was our military rally point against the enemy, explains Rachid Andaloussi, architect and president of Casamémoire.
Photo credit: Ph. Mehdi MoussahimCasablanca Scala Ballads. / Dr. Mehdi Moussahim – Yabiladi
Still in this square, there are what we call battlements, which are small openings in the walls where canoes rested, ready to attack the enemy. There are also what we call loopholes, small gaps that allowed attackers to be seen without being reached by projectiles, due to their smaller size.
When looking out to sea, this fan-shaped structure allows for a 180-degree field of view. Rachid Andaloussi explained to Yabiladi that this was “designed to expand the field of view so that the enemy can be seen coming from the sea, which is often the source of danger.”
This fortified fortress built in the 18th century, this long-abandoned monument, is a symbol and history of Morocco, a target of former colonial desires.
A symbol of the reconquest of Morocco’s coastline
La Sqala is first and foremost a sign of power visible from sea and land. Its construction will take place in a tense context, explains Rachid Andaloussi. In fact, in the 18th century, the coast of Morocco was occupied by great seafaring empires. The Portuguese occupied the entire Moroccan coastline, from Tangier, Larache, Asilah, Azemour to the regions of Safi and Agadir further south.
Morocco of the past lived inland, with the population mainly distributed in the regions of Fez, Meknes, Volubilis, Sahara and Ouarzazate. At that time, Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah was in power. It is said that he ascended the throne on a horse, because unifying the fragmented Morocco was the battle of his life. Relying on the major tribes of Morocco to form an army, he would defeat the external hegemony.
“Casablanca is an integral part of this policy and the movement to liberate Morocco’s coastal territories. Like other coastal cities, Casablanca will see the birth of La Sqala, facing the sea.”
Rachid Andaloussi, Architect and President of Casamémoire
For its construction we will invite Théodore Cornut, famous for “designing the city of Essaouira, which comes from ‘moutassaouira’ (French imagination)”. Sultan Mohammed ibn Abdallah imprisoned this Frenchman, a student of the great military city architect Sébastien Leprest de Vauban. Théodore Cornut, already possessing great skills, brought back the famous Italian concept of the “sqala”.
The Sultan is credited with modernizing the city, transforming it from a village into a city. Decades and centuries passed, and like the old medina of the White City, La Scala fell on hard times, fell into disrepair, mismanagement and neglect. La Scala has become a haunt for drug addicts and dealers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_w6_gsfTQ
Renewal Example
In the early 2000s, the Casamémoire team, which is dedicated to revaluing Casablanca’s memory places, developed a plan to revitalize the place. The main goal, explains Rachid Andaloussi, was to make it a profitable place.
“We firmly believe that heritage sites must be able to find ways to raise their own funds… All heritage sites must integrate a profitable economic system, if they don’t, it’s very difficult to sustain them”
Rachid Andaloussi, Architect and President of Casamémoire
So we came up with the idea of making it a Moorish restaurant that would blend into the monument without ruining its appearance. Located at the back of the Sqala, the restaurant had to respect the architecture, spirit and soul of the place. The presence of two recently restored mausoleums – Sidi Allal Khairouni and Sidi Bousmara – also testifies to this history that must be preserved.
Photo credit: Ph.Mehdi MoussahimRestored mausoleum near La Scala Opera House. / Dr. Mehdi Mussahim – Yabiradi
The Mausoleum of Sidi Allal El Kairouni still contains the tombs of Sidi Allal El Kairouni and his daughter Lalla Beida, who, according to legend, arrived from Kairouan, Tunisia. On their way to Senegal, they were shipwrecked off the coast of Anfa, the old name of Casablanca (Dar El Beida), renamed in honor of these two mysterious figures in Casablanca’s history.
Thus, the Scala, built by Sultan Mohammed Abdellah in 1770, has become a place of contemplation and gathering for many visitors. The completely redeveloped space is a testament to the Kingdom’s desire to preserve its tangible and intangible heritage.
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