Mahkama du Pacha

Mahkama du Pacha is one of the architectural treasures of Casablanca’s Habous Quarter. Located near Place des Alaouites south of the city center, it is a traditional Moroccan courthouse and administrative building, designed with Moorish architectural references that contrast strongly with Casablanca’s modern business identity. The building is admired for elegant arches, carved cedar ceilings, detailed stonework, and intricate decorative elements that make it one of the city’s most photogenic interiors when access is available. Its setting in Habous is essential to its character. The district itself was built during the French colonial period as the New Medina, combining planned urban streets with Moroccan forms, and Mahkama du Pacha represents the most ambitious expression of that hybrid vision. A petit taxi from the center is the simplest way to reach the area, about ten minutes depending on traffic. As a working government building, it opens to visitors only at certain times, often with a local guide. Even from outside, the building remains an important stop on a Habous circuit, adding depth to a neighborhood already known for souks, bookshops, cafés, pastries, and traditional craft shopping.