Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
life he led at the height of his power. It has been beautifully restored, but is only open dur-
ing the Assilah Festival or for temporary exhibitions, although if you can find the care-
taker you may be able to persuade him to let you in. The striking building includes a main
reception room with a glass-fronted terrace overlooking the sea, from where Er-Raissouli
forced convicted murderers to jump to their deaths onto the rocks 30m below.
Centre de Hassan II
Rencontres Internationales
GALLERY
( 0539 41 70 65; foundationdassilah@yahoo.fr; 8.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-5pm, to 8pm summer)
The main exhibition space in town is just inside the medina walls. It's in a beauti-
ful medina house and displays a revolving exhibition of international painting and sculp-
ture in its gallery, and at times, in the nearby El-Khamra Tower, a renovated Portuguese
fortification located on Pl Abdellah Guennoun.
Aplanos Gallery
GALLERY
( 0661 99 80 30; Rue Tijara)
Belgian painter Anne-Judith Van Loock created this gallery
with her Moroccan husband Ahmed Benraadiya, where foreign and local artists can exhib-
it.
Galerie Hakim
GALLERY
( 0661 79 95 35, 0539 41 88 96; hakimghailan@yahoo.fr; 14 Pl Sidi ben Issa)
Zaïlachi artist Hakim
Ghaïlan started this space and exhibits mainly young Moroccan artists.
Church of San Bartolome
CHURCH
Northwest of Pl Mohammed V (the centre of Assilah's small new town) is the Church of
San Bartolome. Built by Spanish Franciscans in a typical colonial Moorish style, it is one
of the few churches in Morocco allowed to ring the bells for Sunday Mass. Nearby is the
marché central (central market).
Beaches
BEACH
