12 Fortified Port Cities Where History Meets the Ocean Waves

9. Essaouira, Morocco: Africa's Windy Citadel of Art

Once known as Mogador, Essaouira’s 18th-century ramparts, designed by a French military architect, give it a distinctly European feel against the vibrant Moroccan culture. Its Skala de la Kasbah and Skala du Port, armed with rows of bronze cannons, were built to defend against maritime threats. The "Windy City of Africa" with its whitewashed buildings and blue-shuttered windows, has long attracted artists and musicians, its fortified walls now framing a picturesque harbor bustling with fishing boats, its stones echoing with Atlantic gales and Gnawa rhythms.