Asilah Morocco

Asilah Getting ready for tourists

Asilah also written Assila or Asila... (Amazigh: Aẓila; Arabic: أصيلة), is a fortified town on the northwest Atlantic coast of Morocco, located at about 31 km (19 miles) south of Tangier. 

You may take a tour inside Assila in this video below:
And here is an extended version without music to give you the feeling of being there

After mouths of being shut down, Assilah is finally getting ready to receive its faithful visitors and tourists, the city's
main economy rely partially on tourism revenue. It is one of the most affected touristic towns, especially that it is not
only a favourit destination for foreigners but also for locals. From all over the country, many people come each summer to Asila to the point that it gets crazily crowded sometimes.
Known for being a city of art and artists, the old medina or old town is usually decorated with all kind of colorful paintings all year long. But it is during the summer where these paintings are renewed, by local and international
artists.. Visitors have the opportunity to wander within the white wall of the old town while admiring some great artwork masterpieces.
During this time of year you could spot painters doing their thing transforming the medina into a beautiful canvas. Asilah also hosts annual music and arts festivals, including a mural-painting festival held each year in August. The International
Cultural Festival usually features jazz and Moroccan music as well as art exhibitions cultural conferences and other activities.

Asilah's Murals
Artist painting walls of Asilah

History:
Asilah exists since 15000 B.C, The Phoenicians used to occupy a site 12km from where it is located today, it was called Zilis or something similar. A part of Asilah was constructed by the Idrisid dynasty, Cordoban caliph Al-Hakam 2nd rebuilt the town in 966.
On the other hand the fortification of the medina was built by the Portuguese after it was conquered in 1471. It was later used as a base for a planned crusade that failed resulting in Asilah coming back to Moroccans, but the Spanish conquered the town shortly after. it remained under Spanish reign till 1692 when it came back to the Moroccans again under the rule of Moulay Ismail. Asilah served then as a base for pirates in the 19th and 20th centuries, and in 1829, the Austrians punitively bombarded the city due to Moroccan piracy.
From 1912 to 1956, it was a town in the part that was occupied by Spain, before Morocco obtained its official independence in 1956 and the city came back to Morocco.



Asilah is known for its strong walls and towers, initially the walls were built by the Almohads and the reinforced by the Marinids and the Wattasids. But the walls that are still standing now are the ones built by the Portuguese in 1471. They also reduced the town so they can easily control it.
The main gates to the old medina are "Bab Homar" and  "Bab al-Qasaba" also known as "Bad Bhar" which means gate to the beach.
Modern side of Asilah
Asilah's white walls and plants
Medina's Narrow Streets in Asila
Inside the town stands a rectangular tower in Portuguese style, known as "Borj Al-Qamra" but its original name was actually "Borj Al-Hamra" which translates to "Red Tower"). It is one of the landmarks of Asilah  overlooks an open square where small concerts are organized each year during the cultural and music festival.
Borj Al-Qamra

 
Contact informations: Hyper Morocco Tours

Smail Jarrou
Quartier Elmhamid 9
Marrakech 50000 Morocco
Email 1: contact@hypermoroccotours.com
Email 2: hypermoroccotours@gmail.com
Tel / Whatsapp: Soon