Sea Castle (New Castle)

Safi [Safim, Çafi], North Africa, Marocco

Military Architecture

This castle, the Ksar el Baahr as it was called by the residents of Safi, is a true symbol of the modern city. Its construction began in 1516 and must have been concluded only around 1523. The purposes of this structure are clear: it was to protect trade and sea traffic near the port and where the Portuguese trading depot stood. Certain sources show how, at least from 1501, fortified structures were created for its protection and of the customs house during the castle’s construction.
The Sea Castle is a beautiful building, about 60 x 60 metres and with a total area of about 3,000 square metres, including a barbette, a central courtyard, a keep (bordj el-Mestari) and a small castle above the entrance arch, outfitted with thick bunkers and upper terrace for ten pieces of artillery with access by way of a ramp, and a projecting tower served by another ramp. It must have been built by Pedro Álvares, although it is likely that the Arruda brothers participated in the project.
The Portuguese coat of arms is still visible and, from the 16th century window of the captain’s residence there is a magnificent view. This castle, permanently battered by the sea, is at risk.
In 1998, this structure was subject to a survey undertaken by LNEC (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, i.e., The Portuguese Laboratory of Civil Engineering) following a decision of the Technical-Scientific Commission for the Portuguese-Moroccan Cooperation which met in Morocco between 11th and 15th June 1995. However, the report of this survey has not been made known. Likewise, in recent years, the authorities of the region have been forced to intervene, mainly with works of protection, due to the damage to the sea wall caused by the battering of the waves. Unfortunately, in February 2010 one of the castle’s towers collapsed.

• Filipe Themudo Barata