villa museum mogadorBoutique Museum Residence · Essaouira
FR EN Reserve
Essaouira

Essaouira, through the eye of Rachid Haloui

Long before building villa museum mogador here, Rachid Haloui was photographing Essaouira.

Its harbour, its ramparts, its medina, its architecture, its people, its music, its ocean — and above all that light which is forever remaking the city.

This page is not meant to be one more visitor's guide.

It offers Essaouira through the eye of the man who watched, photographed and interpreted it over many years.

01

The harbour & the Sqala

The blue boats, the nets, the bastion set facing the ocean.

02

The medina

White and blue, behind its ramparts, beneath its century-old ficus.

03

The music

The Gnaoua festival, the trance, and a city that does not sleep for a week.

04

The light

The golden hour over the bay, and the island of Mogador, the last to fade.

A personal archive of Mogador

A personal archive of Mogador

The photographs shown here are not mere illustrations of Essaouira. They belong to the eye of Rachid Haloui, architect and photographer, and record his relationship with the city. Architecture, street scenes, heritage, music, ocean and light together make a personal archive of Mogador.

The harbour of blue boats, beneath the Sqala bastion
The harbour of blue boats, beneath the Sqala bastion — © Rachid Haloui
The medina, white and blue, beneath its century-old ficus
The medina, white and blue, beneath its century-old ficus — © Rachid Haloui
Gnaoua and World Music Festival — Essaouira, June 2022
Gnaoua and World Music Festival — Essaouira, June 2022 — © Rachid Haloui
The Magana, clock tower of Mogador
The Magana, clock tower of Mogador — © Rachid Haloui
Above the ramparts — white façades and blue shutters
Above the ramparts — white façades and blue shutters — © Rachid Haloui
Evening over the bay of Essaouira, facing Mogador island
Evening over the bay of Essaouira, facing Mogador island — © Rachid Haloui
The Gnaoua night — Essaouira in festival
The Gnaoua night — Essaouira in festival — © Rachid Haloui