– History:
– Casablanca is a North African city with a Spanish name.
– Dar Khalifa may be the original white house that gave Casablanca its name.
– The white house on the coast was a landmark for mariners pinpointing Anfa.
– After Anfa was rebuilt, the white house became the preferred name for the city.
– The property’s name, The Caliphs House, suggests its age dates back to at least the thirteenth century.
– Current Occupation:
– Dar Khalifa was purchased by Tahir Shah in 2003 and renovated.
– The property was in the middle of a shanty town and had been unoccupied for ten years.
– Shah hired exorcists to cleanse the house due to locals’ beliefs in haunting by jinns.
– The shanty town was cleared between 2014 and 2021, with Dar Khalifa now surrounded by upscale apartment buildings.
– Shah’s life at Dar Khalifa is detailed in his books, including “The Caliphs House” and “In Arabian Nights.”
– Headquarters for The Scheherazade Foundation:
– Dar Khalifa is being renovated to serve as the headquarters for The Scheherazade Foundation.
– Artisans and craftsmen from across Morocco are working on intricate designs for the headquarters.
– Storytelling and Teaching Stories:
– Tahir Shah, from a family of storytellers, has studied traditional teaching stories for years.
– Teaching stories are seen as containing deeper meanings, likened to a nutritious experience.
– The Scheherazade Foundation aims to publish traditional tales and host a storytelling festival at Dar Khalifa.
– See Also:
– Category: Shah family
– References:
– Articles from sources like The New York Times, The Guardian, and Morocco World News provide further insights into Dar Khalifa’s history and current state.
Dar Khalifa (Arabic: دار خليفة), or The Caliph's House, is a large, historical landmark and private home in walled grounds. It is located in Ain Diab, an affluent suburb of Casablanca that was also host to a sprawling shanty town until the area was redeveloped. Constructed in a traditional Moroccan style, with numerous "riads", or garden courtyards, the property extends to some 5000 square metres, and is situated on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic shore. As its name suggests, the mansion was once owned by a wealthy Khalif or ruler.
| The Caliph's House | |
|---|---|
Dar Khalifa (Arabic) | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Large historical private home in walled grounds |
| Architectural style | Moroccan |
| Location | Ain Diab (suburb) |
| Town or city | Casablanca |
| Country | Morocco |
| Coordinates | 33°34′53″N 7°40′55″W / 33.5815°N 7.6819°W |
| Current tenants | Tahir Shah |
| Grounds | 5000m2 |
| Website | |
| www | |
It is now home to the author Tahir Shah who is renovating the property, and it will become the headquarters of the educational and cultural non-profit organisation, The Scheherazade Foundation.