Essaouira

In the 1500s, Spain, the Netherlands, France, England and other powers took turns trying to conquer this area, but all failed. Essaouira remained a haven for pirates and a hub for the export of sugar molasses. Today it’s still a haven--for tourists, especially windsurfers who flock here for the world-famous winds.

The actual city found today was only constructed in the 18th century by King Mohammed III, who hired European architects and engineers to build a "modern" fortress. Originally known as Souira ("the small fortress"), the name eventually evolved to Es-Saouira ("the beautifully designed").

“The Beautifully Designed”

Essaouira's peaceful harbour, partially sheltered by an island, has been occupied since prehistoric times by pirates and other mariners who appreciated its charms as the best anchorage on the Moroccan coast.

Somewhere around the time of Christ's life, a Roman named Juba II began mining and processing the intertidal rocks found in this area to manufacture purple dye that was sent back home to color the purple stripes in Roman Senators' togas.