The Sqala du Port or Sqala Al Marsa () is an artillery platform dating from the 18th century located in Essaouira, Morocco. It is one of the principal fortifications of the city of Essaouira and is situated within the .
History
The Sqala of the Port was built in 1769 under the orders of Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah of the Alaouite dynasty. The Castelo Real formerly occupied the site but was demolished to make way for the construction of the Port of Essaouira and its fortifications. Stones from the former Castelo Real were reused in the construction of the Sqala du Port.
The fortification took part in the defense of the city during the Bombardment of Mogador carried out by the French during the Franco-Moroccan War.
It has been listed as a historic monument since the dahir of 30 August 1924.
Architecture
Built in the Manueline style, the Sqala of the Port consists of two fortified wings, each approximately long, intersecting at right angles. They are connected to Bab el-Marsa and dominated by Borj el-Barmil. Its principal function is the defense of the harbor.
Armament
Equipped with a collection of artillery pieces, the Sqala du Port is primarily armed with bronze cannons manufactured in Spain, although some were also produced in the Netherlands. These cannons measure in length and have a caliber of with an external breech diameter of . They were designed to fire cannonballs to a range of approximately .
References
Further reading
See also
Essaouira