Bordj el Baroud

The ruins located south of the mouth of Oued Ksob is known as "Bordj el Baroud " or "Borj el Baroud".
Late 18th century construction of defensive fortresses included Borj el Bermil at the entry of the port, Borj el Assa at the island of Mogador ( Ile Purpuraires ) and Borj el Baroud south at the Oued Ksob.
Borj el Baroud was an isolated fortress which served as a store for gunpowder probably situated somewhere between Bab Marrakech and Sidi Mogdoul. There are no traces left of it today caused by the new settlements and the construction of Boulevard Mohammed V.

The Phoenician explanation:

"I suggest this structure may have been an integral part of the Ile Purpuraires Phoenician settlement for the following reasons:
(i) The position of Bordj El Berod is directly opposite the Phoenician fort at the southeast tip of Ile Purpuraires, permitting a pincer effect upon naval monitoring into the harbour via the southern approach; (Google, 2007)
(ii) The bordj El Berod follows the classic form of Phoenician coastal construction using an immense natural rock as the foundation;
(iii) The stonework follows Phoenician practises of mixing different stone types within the same structure. In particular most of the stonework utilises a native red stone hewn into large rectilinear blocks, but a prominent horizontal course is evident which uses a lighter gray colour hewn in smaller blocks and faced in a cylindrical fashion.
(iv) The condition of the ruined Bordj is remarkable, given its exposure to surf and salty mist. The condition of mortar exposed to these elements is more suggestive of Phoenician engineering, whose talents regularly attacked severe coastal conditions, whereas later Moorish mortar was not as durable to these extreme marine conditions and indeed was not called upon for many such assignments.
(v) The location of Bordj El Berod is remarkably consistent with a fort suitable for monitoring the trading practises that Heroditus depicts in describing the Phoenicians laying out their wares on a broad beach for local tribes to purchase;
(vi) The destruction of the Bordj El Berod was most likely associated with the 18th century major earthquake in western Morocco, making it unlikely that any significant part of the Bordj was associated with the mainstream Moorish construction of Essaouira that occurred in the late 18th century and beyond; and
(vii) The existence of such a grand mainland watchtower would clearly justify naming the site after the Phoenician word ‘'migdol'‘ or watchtower..
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17926

Eid al-Adha II

Jimi Hendix

People in Essaouira love to tell stories about Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) and other famous people who has been here and they love to tell you that he slept in their house. Most of it is not true. There are legends and myths about him here.
What is fake about Jimi Hendrix in Essaouira you can read on Maroccofake.
What is true is that:
Jimi Hendrix made a short visit to Morocco during the summer of 1969. He came by a regulary flight from Paris to Casablanca.
He enjoyed a romance with Colette Mimram while here.
He visited Morocco just once an he loved Morocco!

Orson Welles

In 1948 the film director and actor Orson Welles stayed in Essaouira filming his classic version of Othello which contains several memorable scenes shot in the labyrinthine streets and alleys of the medina. The opening shot of the film pans the full length of the Scala, the great sea bastion running along the northern cliffs of the town. He stayed at Hotel des Iles (built in 1948 by Antoine Marchisio) and in this hotel there is a bar and a suite named after him. It is said that he met Winston Churchill there, who aslo was a guest at the hotel at that time.
In 1952, the film won the Palme d´Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Othello (1952 film)

Orson Welles's bust is located in a small square just outside the medina walls close to the sea.
It is in a neglected state being covered in bird poop, graffiti and with a broken nose. In addition, the dedication plaques has been stolen.

Several other film directors, have utilised Essaouira's photogenic and atmospheric qualities.
For example Billie Augusts: "Jerusalem" (1966),

Streetart

Eid al-Adha

Pictures from the market of sheep in Scala.

Eid al-Adha ( عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or Eid el kebir "Greater Eid" is a holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God.
It is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It concludes the Pilgrimmage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days.
Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called uḍiyyah ( أضحية‎, also known as "al-qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.

The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.

1430 (Islamic Calendar): November 28, 2009

Jewish historical sites

Essaouira is the site of an annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Chaim Pinto, whose home and synagogue are preserved as an historic and religious site. It is situated in the Mellah. The hiloula of Chaim Pinto is held in September. The entrance to the Chaim Pinto Synagogue can be seen on the picture.
In Rue Laalouj in the Kasbah, we find another Jewish historical site. It is the Simon Attias synagogue. The synagogue was built in 1882. Today the door is locked and the windows covered with bluepainted boards. Unknown for most, hopefully waiting for restauration.
The Jewish cemetery, just outside the city gates, is extremely well kept.

"Essaouira's mellah covers over 10 percent of the town, but Jews constituted almost 40 percent of the population in the late 1880's. Jewish stars on the doors to the mellah show the degree to which Jews were accepted in Essaouira, to the point that some of the richer Jews did not even live in the mellah. Commemorative plaques indicate the buildings in which synagogues were located. Former inhabitants of Essaouira, most of them Jewish, formed a committee to rehabilitate the town. An important member of the committee is King Hassan II's Economic Advisor, Andre Azoulay. " http://rickgold.home.mindspring.com/page21.html


Essaouira - Mogador Cemeteries
Searchable database of names and other identifying information from the cemeteries of Essaouira (Mogador)

Essaouira was founded in 1765. The oldest tombs date from 1776. These tombs are interesting. Contrary to Jewish tradition and Mosaic Law, they are sculptured with very marked human forms. These anthropomorphic tombstones sometimes bear epigraphic inscriptions and sometimes none. These monolithic tombstones are carved out of marine sandstone. http://www.iajgs.org/cemetery/morocco/essaouira-aka-mogador.html