Asilah, Morocco

... More

Phoenician origins, and later became a medieval Portuguese trading post, before its fortunes declined. Today, after centuries of virtual anonymity, Asilah thrives once more - this time as an oasis of culture. Its prosperous harbor, bustling market and its important annual cultural pilgrimage, the moussim, have all combined to give the town a new lease of life.

The town is surrounded by its original Portuguese defensive walls, which serve as a statement on the community's independence, but which have also had a limiting effect upon the town's growth. Construction has almost doubled in the past decade, but has included no new complexes, hotels or resort areas. Local residents have continued to construct the traditional Spanish-style homes of their ancestors.

Newly-built private houses reproduce the facades of their older neighbors, usually incorporating elements salvaged from the ruins of older structures, such as doorways and arcades.

During the cultural festival in August, Asilah becomes an enormous gallery where artists exhibit their work in the Pasha Raïssouni palace, the streets, or even on the walls of the town.