Name and Location

The Sidi Magdoul Lighthouse is located at the eastern breakwater of Essaouira Harbor, R211, Essaouira, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco. Its coordinates are 31°29′32″ N, 9°45′51″ W (31.4922877, –9.7640368).

Construction and History

The Sidi Magdoul Lighthouse is a minor aid to navigation in Essaouira's historic fishing and trading port. Its official name is Sidi Magdoul, and it is also referred to locally as "Phare de Sidi Mogdoul." The exact construction era of the lighthouse is not documented, but it is likely that it was built during a late 20th-century port authority improvement program.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is a functional maritime concrete tower with no particular architectural embellishment. It is made of reinforced concrete for its tower and metal lantern housing.

Light and Navigation

The Sidi Magdoul Lighthouse is a multi-sector occulting light with a 4-second cycle. The light has six colored sectors, guiding vessels through the harbor entrance channel: green (034°–124°), white (124°–136°), red (136°–214°), and three white sectors (214°–260°, 260°–350°, and 350°–034°). The light is fully automated, unmanned, and powered by mains electricity with battery backup.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is accessible only from the outside. Visitors can walk along the breakwater to see the lighthouse, but they cannot enter the lantern.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the top of the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Essaouira's ramparts, medina skyline, and Atlantic swell. The nearby attractions include the Essaouira Medina (UNESCO tentative list), Sqala du Port (18th-century sea bastions), and Sidi Mogdoul beach.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Legend holds that Sidi Mogdoul, a desert saint credited with protecting mariners, once landed nearby. The lighthouse carries his name as a maritime talisman, though no shrine stands on the breakwater itself.

Technical and Operational Details

The Sidi Magdoul Lighthouse is managed by the Port and Fisheries Authority of Essaouira (Office National des Ports, Morocco). It does not have dedicated AIS/Radar installation but lies at the head of the stone breakwater protecting Essaouira's fishing quay. The lighthouse has no heritage status formally listed and falls under national maritime safety regulations.

Further Information

For more information on the Sidi Magdoul Lighthouse, please visit OpenStreetMap (https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/192561995), Moroccan Maritime Safety Directorate publications (seamarks list), Chart D 2602, Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine (SHOM), and "Essaouira: Evolution of a Port City," Journal of North African Studies.