Marrakesh to Casablanca

We covered the 250 kilometer drive from Marrakesh to Casablanca in a bit over 3 hours.  We checked into our hotel and ate lunch after which we had free time.  Carla did some laundry at the hotel while Dwayne went to the Hassan II Mosque for a tour.  This mosque is the largest mosque in Morocco.  Over 100,000 people can worship there with 25,000 on the mosque's interior and 75,000 in the vast courtyard at its entrance.  Its 210 meter tall (689 feet) minaret is the tallest in the world.  The mosque was completed in 1993 taking 7 years to construct.  Twelve million Moroccans donated to the cost of construction.  It is estimated the project was completed for about $600 million.  The finest materials were used by the over 10,000 craftsmen involved in its construction.  The marble, granite, tile, woodwork and stucco combine to create a modern architectural wonder of immense size.

Hassan II Mosque

Hassan II Mosque Interior

Hassan II Mosque - Immense Interior

Hassan II Mosque Ablution Fountains

From the Hassan II Mosque, we drove down the wide avenue that runs along the Atlantic Ocean.  Waves were crashing into the shore which made for a picturesque view.  Million dollar homes and luxury hotels lined the street.  We passed the impressive Phare d' el Hank lighthouse built by the French in 1916 not far from the Hassan II Mosque.  Casablanca is the largest Moroccan seaport on the Atlantic Ocean.

Phare d' el Hank Lighthouse

Our last stop before dinner was the Notre Dame de Lourdes which is a large Roman Catholic Church completed in 1956.  It is noted for the stained glass windows and its soaring front entrance.

Notre Dame de Lourdes

Notre Dame de Lourdes Interior

Notre Dame de Lourdes - Stained Glass

Carla's Laundry