Azemmour, town at the Atlantic coast of Morocco
Azemmour is a small town along the Oum Er-Rbia River in El Jadida Province, featuring narrow winding streets, old stone walls, and traditional houses built from stone and earth. The town displays two fortresses including a Portuguese kasbah with six towers and cannons, remains of a mosque, and various structures from multiple centuries.
Azemmour was active under Phoenicians and Romans in ancient times and later became a trading center during the Islamic period under Almohad and Merinid rulers. In the early 1500s the Portuguese captured the town, leaving their architectural mark and fortifications before it returned to Moroccan control.
The name Azemmour comes from Arabic and refers to the wild mandarin orange that grows in the region. Today the town displays a blend of Moroccan and Portuguese influences visible in its doorways, fortresses, and narrow streets where craftspeople still practice traditional techniques and colorful murals decorate the buildings.
The town sits about 75 kilometers southwest of Casablanca and is easy to reach by train, car, or bus with a travel time of about one hour. Spring and fall offer the most comfortable weather for visiting, as summers can be hot, and the town provides simple accommodations in traditional riads or larger beachside resorts.
A significant Jewish community settled here from 1496 as refugees from Portugal and shaped the town's life through fishing and craftsmanship for centuries. The Mellah quarter and the tomb of Rabbi Abraham Moul Niss stand today as reminders of this important historical community and their deep connection to the place.
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