Lighthouses of Northwestern Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco occupies the northwestern corner of Africa across the Strait of Gibralter from Spain. It has a long coast facing northwest on the Atlantic Ocean and a much shorter coast facing north on the easternmost Mediterranean Sea. During most of the nineteenth century France, Spain, and other European countries maneuvered to gain control of Morocco. In 1912 it was finally divided; although the monarchy remained in place France and Spain assumed formal protectorates over the country. The French protectorate included the northwestern coast from the Agadir area through Mehdia, while Spain had a protectorate over the northern coast and portions of the far south. In 1923 the northwestern city of Tangier was removed from the Spanish sector to become an international zone. Morocco resumed its independence in 1956 but Spain continues to control the northern cities of Ceuta and Melilla and several small islands off the Mediterranean coast.

For lighthouse fans the implication of this history is that Morocco's lighthouse heritage is partly Spanish and partly French, with French influence seen in the west and Spanish influence to the north and south. However, the design of lighthouses in all parts of the country shows a strong native Moroccan style.

This page includes lighthouses of Morocco's northwest coast, facing the Atlantic Ocean and the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, from the Casablanca area to the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. There are separate pages for Southwestern Morocco, Northeastern Morocco and the Spanish Coast of Morocco (including Ceuta and Melilla).

Arabic and Berber are the official languages in Morocco. Darija (a Berber-influenced dialect of Arabic) and French are common spoken languages. The Arabic word for a lighthouse is mnarh or manara (منارة). Ra's is the word for a cape or headland and jazira is an island.

Lighthouses in Morocco are operated by the Etablissements de Signalisation Maritime (ESM) division of the infrastructure ministry (Ministère de l'Équipement et de l'Eau).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volumes D and E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Morocco Atlantic
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in Morocco
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Morocco
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Phares d'Afrique
Photos by various photographers posted by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller.
Leuchttürme in Marokko
Photos taken in October 2017 by Andreas Köhler
Afrikanische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNavigationChart
Navigation chart information for Morocco.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Morocco.

Rabat Light
Rabat Light, Rabat, March 2008
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Remi Jouan

Casablanca-Settat Region Lighthouses

Jorf Lasfar Area Lighthouses
Jorf Lasfar ("Yellow Cliffs") is a modern industrial port first developed about 1980; phosphate is exported and coal is imported for a huge power plant that produces 60% of the country's electricity.

Lalla Fatna
2003. Active; focal plane unknown; three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 12 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower. Trabas has Andreas Köhler's photo and Google has a satellite view. This light finally made its first appearance in the 2016 NGA List. Located on a high seaside bluff about 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast of Oualidia. Site status unknown. Admiralty D2591.8; NGA 23173.
#Jorf Lasfar Contre-Digue (East Jetty) (1)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2021 and since removed. This was a 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower rising from a square base. The tower is not seen in Google's indistinct satellite view. In late 2022 the Admiralty announced a new light described only as a beacon. Located at the end of the inner breakwater at Jorf Lasfar. Site and tower closed. Current light: Admiralty D2591.4; NGA 23172.
#Jorf Lasfar Digue Principale (West Jetty) (1)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2021 and since removed. This was a 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower rising from a square base and painted with black and white horizontal bands. The tower is not seen in Google's indistinct satellite view. In late 2022 the Admiralty announced a new light described only as a beacon. Located at the end of the outer breakwater at Jorf Lasfar. Site and tower closed. Current light: Admiralty D2591; NGA 23164.
Jorf Lasfar (Cap Blanc)
Date unknown (about 1980?). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white or red light depending on direction, 4.5 s on, 1.5 s off. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower. Lighthouse painted white. Konaki Pinnel's photo is at right, Yamal Elkhalladi has a photo, Köhler has a photo, Trabas has Köhler's photo, Fabio Torretta has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland about 24 km (14 mi) southwest of Al Jadida. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MOR-020; Admiralty D2590; NGA 23160.

Cap Blanc Light, Jorf Lasfar, February 2019
Google Maps photo by Konaki Pinnel

Al Jadida Area Lighthouses
Al Jadida is a historic city now better known as a seaside resort. Portugal seized the city in 1502 and held it until 1769; under Portuguese rule it was called Mazagão or Mazagan.
* Sidi Bou Afi (Mazagan)
1916. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); white flash every 5 s. 46 m (151 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black; masonry gallery is unpainted dark stone. Pavel Daněček's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's closeup photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, a 2019 closeup and a 2007 photo are available, Mustafa Ennaimi has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a fine example of French lighthouse design. Located in downtown Al Jadida. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS MOR-011; Admiralty D2588; NGA 23144.
* [Sidi Daoui (Cap Mazagan)]
2001. Inactive but listed with focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. This was a 10 m (33 ft) round tower with a flared top, painted with black and white horizontal bands and mounted on a square concrete building. Google has a satellite view. Andreas Köhler visited this location in April 2018 and found that the tower had been removed; Trabas has Köhler's photo of the surviving building. Located on the beach on the northernmost point of land in Al Jadida. Site status unknown but probably open; tower closed. Admiralty D2587.5; NGA 23150.
* Al Jadida North Jetty (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 11 m (36 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 7 m (23 ft) post atop a square concrete tower painted with green and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Arno Siering's photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. NGA describes a smaller light. Located at the end of the north (main) breakwater of Al Jadida. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D2586; NGA 23152.
* Al Jadida South Jetty
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); very quick-flashing red light. 6 m (20 ft) square concrete tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Arno Siering's photo, Dan Lorenzati has a 2018 photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Al Jadida. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D2587; NGA 23156.
* Sidi Mesbah
1921. Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white or red light depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with yellow trim; the gallery is light green. Trabas has Andreas Köhler's closeup photo, Catherine Soave has a 2018 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 6.5 km (4 mi) east of Al Jadida; there is a view from the A-5 expressway to the south. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MOR-037; Admiralty D2584; NGA 23148.

Sidi Bou Afi Light, El Jadida, December 2023
Google Maps photo by Pavel Daněček
* Sidi Boubker (Pointe d'Azemmour)
1921. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. 14 m (46 ft) round white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Andreas Köhler has contributed a photo, Trabas has a closeup version of Köhler's photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the station. Located about 1.6 km (1 mi) inland from the coast near Azemmour, about 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Al Jadida. Accessible by a gravel road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MOR-029; Admiralty D2582; NGA 23140.

Casablanca Lighthouses
Casablanca is the largest city of Morocco, with a population of about 3.5 million. It is also the country's largest port. The city was known by its Berber name Fedala until 1960.
* El Hank (Casablanca, Dar-el-Beida)
1919. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 49 m (161 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. A 2nd order Fresnel lens is in use. Entire lighthouse painted white. A 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Douglas Cameron, Pavel Daněček has a 2023 photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, Wikimedia has several photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. A September 2005 photo by Dan McLean shows the lighthouse wrapped with elaborate designs, but a March 2006 photo shows it returned to all white. Morocco's tallest traditional lighthouse and the landfall light for Casablanca is located on a headland at the western edge of the city. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS MOR-006; Admiralty D2574; NGA 23132.
* Hassan II Mosque
1993. Active; focal plane about 215 m (700 ft); red light, pattern unknown. 210 m (690 ft) square minaret. Trabas has Andreas Köhler's night time photo, Matúš Nerád has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The tip of the tower is floodlit at light. The red light is really an aircraft warning light; its usefulness for navigation is questionable. Located on a headland halfway between El Hank and the city center. Site open, mosque open for tours, tower status unknown. Admiralty D2573.5.
Casablanca Entrance (Range Rear)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2023. 45 m (148 ft) square light tower with lantern atop a tall pier building; the front of the light tower is painted red with a white vertical stripe. Trabas has Douglas Cameron's photo and Google has a satellite view. This was formerly the rear light of a range but the front light was discontinued in 2015. Located on a pier in the central part of Casablanca harbor. Site and tower closed. ex-Admiralty D2568.1; NGA 23128.
Roches-Noires
1919. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 19 m (62 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. Andreas Köhler has contributed a photo, Trabas has the same photo, Youssef Had has a 2021 photo, Jalale Hamza has a 2017 closeup of the top of the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Although this lighthouse is not in a tourist area it is close to major streets. Located to the east of Casablanca harbor, separated from the water by a rail yard. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. ARLHS MOR-010; Admiralty D2567; NGA 23100.
 

El Hank Light, Casablanca, April 2023
Instagram photo by Souki S
Oukacha
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); two very quick flashes every 2 s; also a continuous red light at a focal plane of 24 m (79 ft) shown over a sector the west. 20 m (66 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is dark red. Andreas Köhler has contributed a photo, Trabas has a version of the same photo, a 2021 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky promontory in the eastern part of Casablanca (Dar el-Beida). Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. ARLHS MOR-030; Admiralty D2566; NGA 23096.

Mohammédia Lighthouses
Mohammédia is a city of about 200,000 residents halfway between Casablanca and Rabat; it is the site of Morocco's most important oil refinery.

Mohammédia Harbor Range Rear
Date unknown. Inactive since 2018. Light mounted on the "customs house," according to the Admiralty, but the building appears to be the port authority office. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the Rue El Hansali in the Mohammédia harbor area. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty D2563.1; NGA 23069.
Mohammédia South Breakwater (Range Front)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red light occulting twice every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal concrete tower. Trabas has Andreas Köhler's photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Until 2018 this was the front light of the inner harbor range. Located at the end of the south breakwater of the inner harbor of Mohammédia. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D2563; NGA 23068.
Cap de Fédala (Cap Mohammédia)
Date unknown. Inactive. 27 m (89 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is described as yellow but it appears to be unpainted white concrete; lantern painted green. Andreas Köhler has contributed a photo (also seen at right) and the lighthouse is centered in a Google satellite view. This light has been dropped from the METLE and NGA Lists. Located in an industrial area of the harbor of Mohammédia (called Fédala until it was renamed for King Mohammed V in 1960), about 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Casablanca (Dar el-Beida). Site and tower closed, but there are distant views from the beach. ARLHS MOR-001; ex-Admiralty D2558; ex-NGA 23052.
Mohammédia Breakwater (Main Wharf)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) round steel tower painted green. Trabas has Andreas Köhler's distant view and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long breakwater sheltering Mohammédia harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D2558.4; NGA 23054.
* Mohammédia First Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white light occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) white square tower. Google has a satellite view. This is the approach range for Mohammédia. In 2022 the rear light was deactivated and a directional light placed on the front tower. Trabas has Köhler's closeup photo of the earlier appearance of the front light. Located on the waterfront about 5 km (3 mi) east of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D2559; NGA 23056.
* Mohammédia First Range Rear
Date unknown. Inactive since 2022. 8 m (26 ft) square tower atop a 1-story building. Building painted white. Trabas has Köhler's closeup photo and Google has a satellite view. Located in a residential area about 5 km (3 mi) east of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty D2559.1; NGA 23060.

Cap de Fédala Light, Mohammédia, October 2017
photo copyright Andreas Köhler; used by permission

Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Region Lighthouse

Rabat Area Lighthouses
Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, is a city of about 600,000 residents. Its small harbor is used only by small craft.

Sid el Abed
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal white concrete skeletal tower with gallery; a spiral stairway is seen inside the tower. Amine Lahbabi has a 2020 photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of a yacht club at Témara, about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Rabat. Site open and tower closed. Site manager: Royal Nautique Club Sid el Abed . Not listed by the Admiralty.
* Rabat (Fort de la Calette)
1920. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white light occulting twice every 6 s. 24 m (79 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery. NGA describes the tower as being yellow with a black lantern, but Remi Jouan's 2008 photo (at the top of this page) and all other recent photos show it painted all white. Anwer Zayani has a 2020 photo, a 2010 photo is available, Trabas has Arno Siering's photo, Guyomard and Carceller have a good photo by Jean Besnard, Matt Ravier has a more distant view, Wikimedia has photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, John McEachen has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located just behind the beach on the south side of the harbor of Rabat, Morocco's capital city. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS MOR-007; Admiralty D2554; NGA 23036.

Mehdya Area Lighthouses
Mehdya (Mehdia) Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); white light occulting three times every 12 s. 9 m (29 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. NGA describes the tower as being red, but photos show it green with white trim and a white lantern. Andreas Köhler has contributed a photo, Trabas also has Köhler's photo, and Google has a satellite view. There is a signal station adjacent to the lighthouse. Mehdya, the port district of the Kénitra metropolitan area, was at the northern edge of the former Freneh protectorate. Located on the south side of the Oued (river) Sebu entrance in Mehdia, about 35 km (22 mi) north of Rabat. Site and tower closed; the light can be seen from outside the enclosure. ARLHS MOR-044; Admiralty D2540.1; NGA 22944.
Mehdya Range No. 3 Rear (Pointe Adrien)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2021. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower painted with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a hillside on the north edge of Mehdya. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty D2544.6; NGA 22972.

Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region: Lighthouses West of Ceuta

For lighthouses of this region east of the Spanish city of Ceuta see the Northeastern Morocco page.

Larache Lighthouses
* Punta Nador (El Araïch, Larache)
1919. Active; focal plane 80 m (262 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 44 m (144 ft) two-stage octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and two galleries, rising from a keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with blue trim; lantern painted blue. The fisheries ministry with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has built a maritime academy adjacent to the light station. A photo is at right, Lightphotos.net has a good photo, Guyomard and Carceller have a fine photo by Jean Besnard, Xavier Baudassé has a photo, a 2008 view is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Located on the south side of the entrance to the harbor at Larache (El Araïch), a city of about 125,000 residents. Site status unknown. ARLHS MOR-009; Admiralty D2532; NGA 22912.
Larache Inner Bar Range Rear
Date unknown (1930s?). Inactive since 2018. 19 m (62 ft) "church tower," presumably a minaret. No further information available. Mustapha Taleb has a 2021 photo of the Nassiria mosque tower, which might have carried the light. Google has a satellite view. The front light was also mounted on a building. Site status unknown. ARLHS MOR-043; ex-Admiralty D2526.1; ex-NGA 22932.
Larache Light
Punta Nador Light, Larache, May 2009
ex-Panoramio photo copyright elakramine; permission requested

Tanger Area Lighthouses
Tanger (usually spelled Tangier in English) is a historic city overlooking the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. It has expanded in recent years and now has a population exceeding one million. Long a target of the colonial powers, it was governed as an international zone from 1925 to 1956, except during World War II when it was occupied by Spanish troops (1940-1945). The northern coast of the international zone extended from Cap Spartel through Malabata.
*** Cap Spartel (Cabo Espartel, Ra's Sbartil)
1864. Active; focal plane 95 m (312 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 24 m (79 ft) square masonry tower with castellated gallery, lantern, and 1st order Fresnel lens, attached to a 2-story keeper's house. Tower painted buff, the gallery is reddish, and the lantern is unpainted gray metal; the keeper's house is painted white. Fog horn (four blasts every 90 s). Saaleha Bamjee's photo is at right, Hassan Riffi has a closeup 2021 photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, a 2009 view of the station is available, Guyomard and Carceller have a photo by Jean-Pierre Avenier, Wikimedia has a photo by M. Rais, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's closeup photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Raiss Toufik has a street view from a nearby café, and Google has a satellite view. One of Africa's (and the world's) greatest lighthouses, this light marks the southeastern entrance to the Strait of Gibralter from the Atlantic as well as the northwestern corner of Africa. In international law the longitude of the Cape Spartel lighthouse (5°55'W) is recognized as the western boundary of the Mediterranean Sea. The lighthouse was built by Sultan Mohammed III and maintained during the colonial period by a consortium of western powers. Now one of Morocco's best-known tourist attractions, the light station is on the cape about 20 km (13 mi) west of Tanger. Site open, tower open by arrangement with the keepers. . ARLHS MOR-003; Admiralty D2510; NGA 22896.
Tanger Outer Breakwater (2?)
2007 (?) . Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower. A view from the sea is available and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The skeletal tower replaced a concrete tower seen in a November 2006 photo. Located at the end of the Tanger breakwater. Site status unknown. ARLHS MOR-049; Admiralty D2502; NGA 22888.
* Le Charf (Monte Direccíon)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 88 m (289 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, occulting three times every 12 s. 7 m (23 ft) "metal cupola on brown building," according to NGA. Zaidi Brahim has a 2022 photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the city of Tanger (Tangier). Site status unknown. ARLHS MOR-024; Admiralty D2500; NGA 22880.
* Malabata (Pointe Malabata)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 76 m (249 ft); white flash every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Building painted white; lantern roof is weathered gray. Lightphotos.net has a good photo, Guyomard and Carceller have a good photo by Jean Besnard, Trabas has a view from the sea by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, Khallok Al Abdel has a 2021 photo, Omar Fahd has a closeup street view, Youssef Moutawalli has a more distant street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Tanger, at the eastern entrance to the Baie de Tanger from the Strait of Gibraltar. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS MOR-032; Admiralty D2498; NGA 22872.
Cap Spartel Light
Cap Spartel Light, Tanger, July 2011
ex-Flickr Creative Commons photo by Saaleha Bamjee
Ilôt du Nord (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, Mouaad el Kortbi has a very distant view from Ras Ciress, but the tower is hard to spot in Google's satellite view. The original light had a focal plane of 11 m (36 ft). Located on a rocky islet off Ras Ciress (Punta Cires). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D2495.
* Ras Ciress (Punta Cires, Pointe Cirès)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white light occulting three times every 12 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. No lantern; the light is displayed from a short mast. Trabas has a view from the sea by Capt. Theo Hinrichs, Omar Fahd has a distant street view from the nearby Dalya Beach, and Google has a satellite view. Punta Cires is at the narrowest point of the Strait of Gibraltar, and swimmers trying to swim the strait aim for this point from Tarifa, Spain. Located near Dalia about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Tanger. Site status unknown. ARLHS MOR-051; Admiralty D2493; NGA 22864.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: Northeast: Spanish Coast of Morocco and Northeastern Morocco | South: Southwestern Morocco | West: Canary Islands

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Posted August 18, 2005. Checked and revised April 15, 2023. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.