Simon Attias Synagogue

Named after one of the great Jewish merchants who ran Essaouira's international trade networks. The tujjar as-sultan — merchants of the king — controlled trade routes from sub-Saharan Africa to London and Amsterdam. They spoke Arabic, Hebrew, French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The synagogue now houses a museum and research centre. Nearby, the Slat Lkahal — where the community held assemblies and young people sang songs written by rabbi-poets — was renovated in 2010.

The commerce that built Essaouira is documented in these walls. The merchants are gone. The buildings remember what they did.